Indian Super Gaming League: Ranbir Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan Appear Together on Stage

Bollywood stars Ranbir Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan attended the press conference of the ‘Indian Super Gaming League’ in Mumbai on Sunday, March 1. The camaraderie between the two was clearly visible during the event. While Ranbir Kapoor is the co-owner of Indian Super League team Mumbai City FC, Abhishek Bachchan, a passionate football enthusiast, holds a stake in Chennaiyin FC.

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Apart from Ranbir and Abhishek, the inaugural ceremony was attended by ecosystem partners, industry leaders, and several dignitaries, including Shantanu Basu, ISGL Founder Gautam Badalia, Andhra Pradesh’s Honourable Sports Minister Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy, and Kaashvi Hiranandani. The event was hosted by Tanmay Bhat. Let’s take a look at what Ranbir and Abhishek said during the press conference.

Sharing Their Gaming Memories

During the press conference, both actors shared that sports and gaming have been an important part of their lives. When asked whether they played video games during childhood, Abhishek revealed that his first gaming console was an Atari.’ He reminisced about playing Pac-Man, Super Mario, Tetris, and later FIFA on PlayStation.
Ranbir also mentioned playing Nintendo games like Super Mario, Prince of Persia, and Contra. Jokingly, he said he “retired” from FIFA after 2014 because others became better players than him. Abhishek further revealed that actor Boman Irani is one of the best FIFA players in the film industry and plays for 2–3 hours daily.

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On this occasion, Abhishek stated that gaming has now become a bigger industry than films. He believes that in the future, gaming could even become part of the Olympics. He added that gaming is highly inclusive and offers career opportunities to young people even with limited resources.
Ranbir also said that for today’s generation, gaming has become a natural part of life, and young people are deeply connected to it.

Gamer Scout Speaks

The event was also attended by leading Indian BGMI gamers and content creators including Tanmay Bhat, ‘Scout’ (ScoutOp), India’s first FIFA Pro player Santanu Basu, and Kaashvi Hiranandani.

During the event, Scout shared that the gaming industry has witnessed tremendous growth over the past five years. Earlier, there were only one or two tournaments a year, but now gaming is seen as a viable career option in almost every household. He added that young players now have a clear roadmap to build a future in competitive gaming or content creation.

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India’s first FIFA Pro player Shantanu Basu also shared his emotional journey. He revealed that when he came to Mumbai in 2007, he had to sleep on footpaths and face many hardships. However, that journey has now brought him to this stage. He emphasized that with the right support system—such as mental coaches, health trainers, and timely prize money—Indian gamers can achieve great success at the international level.

Meanwhile, Gautam Badalia stated that the league aims to identify grassroots talent and provide them with national and international platforms. His goal is to develop players from India who can win medals at the Asian Games or even the Olympics.

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Question–Answer Session

A special gaming terms-based Q&A session was also organized at the event. Gaming-related short forms were introduced, and their meanings were asked from Ranbir and Abhishek. The actors responded in an entertaining manner, making the session fun and interactive.

Ranbir and Abhishek’s Work Front

On the acting front, Ranbir will be seen in Love & War directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, alongside his wife Alia Bhatt and actor Vicky Kaushal. He will also portray Lord Ram in Ramayana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari.
As for Abhishek Bachchan, he has the film King alongside superstar Shah Rukh Khan. Directed by Siddharth Anand, the movie is scheduled to release in theatres on December 24.