In a recent interview at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, Aamir Khan spoke about his passion for tennis and his personal history with the sport

In a recent interview with commentator Vijay Amritraj at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, Aamir Khan revealed that he used to love playing tennis but had to stop because his father asked him to. The star was so good at the sport that he used to be a part of the Maharashtra State Championship.

While this revelation might be news to most fans, there are many celebrities who used to be professional sportsmen before heeding the call of Bollywood. Here’s a list of 5 actors who used to be professional players before they gave it all up for the star-studded world of cinema.

Deepika Padukone

The Kalki 2898 AD star used to be a professional badminton player under the guidance of her father Prakash Padukone, who himself was a badminton legend. The mum-to-be used to be a national-level badminton player until she gave up the sport at age 16 to pursue a career in modelling and later, acting.

Deepika Padukone on the badminton court

John Abraham

The actor, who will be starring in the upcoming film Vedaa directed by Nikkhil Advani, used to be a professional football player in his younger days. In fact, the star was so good he played in the Indian A-Division as a centre forward. He now follows this passion through the football team he co-owns, NorthEast United FC, which is changing the game in India.

John Abraham on the football field

Saqib Saleem

Saqib Saleem, known for his role in 83 (2021), used to play cricket till he was 20. “I always wanted to play cricket in life, and I played state-level cricket but I could not become a professional cricketer. I played cricket till I was 20. So, I always had this dream that one day I would play for our country. I was not able to fulfil my dream in real life, but at least I got the chance to accomplish it in reel life,” Saqib told IANS.

Saqib Saleem playing cricket

Aparshakti Khurana

The Indian actor and radio personality best known for his performances in Stree (2018) and Luka Chuppi (2019) used to be an avid cricket player before his journey into stardom began. Khurana was the captain of the Haryana Under-19 cricket team before he officially became an actor.

Aparshakti Khurana with Chris Gale at an India-Pak match

Rahul Bose

Another actor who used to play a professional sport is Rahul Bose. In his youth, he represented India in rugby for 11 years. Known for his roles in films like Midnight’s Children (2012) and Bulbbul (2020) the Bose is now the current President of the Indian Rugby Football Union.

Rahul Bose meeting the players of All India and South Asia Rugby Tournament
While many actors are known for their dedication to fitness, a select few have gone beyond their passion for staying fit, leaving legacies both on the field and on the big screen.