Ranveer Singh Interviews Manchester United Footballer Nemanja Vidic

For the first time ever in the history on Indian television, film Star Ranveer Singh turned into an interviewer to talk to the Manchester United legend Nemanja Vidic .  Ranveer Singh is the Premier League ambassador for India and  a huge football fan himself. He was extremely excited to interview Vidic. The centreback par excellence spoke about the golden era of Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson. He spoke of how he became the most feared defender in the Premier League. Ranveer too talks about how he fell in love with football and how India is taking the right steps to promote the game in India. It’s a fun interview where Ranveer compares his life as an actor to Nemanja’s as a footballer.
 
Ranveer : Hello Hello everybody and welcome to this very very special and for me very surreal tete-a-tete I like to call it with the one, the only mega star, legend, centre-back of world football Mr. Nemanja Vidic.
Taliyan.
Vidic : Thank you, Ranveer. Thank you very much.
 

Ranveer : Welcome to India.
Vidic : Thank you.
 

Ranveer : You know we have a saying here, Athithi Devo Bhava, which means we almost revere our guests in our culture to almost like worshipping them. So, how has India been for you so far?
Vidic : I can feel that everywhere I go actually.
 

Ranveer : You feeling the love?
Vidic : It's so kind, so polite. Very educated people, I have to say that. So, I have been enjoying my two days here in Mumbai.
 

Ranveer : And, how was the ISL match? I saw that you went for an ISL match yesterday.
Vidic : It was great. To be frank, I thought it was good. It was good, a good match.
 

Ranveer : Yeah?
Vidic : Someone told me it's not usually like that. I said, I was impressed. But it was made out of chances.
 

Ranveer : Oh nice!
Vidic: It was three goals in the first half. Exciting! And they won it last minute.
 

Ranveer : Oh yeah? You caught an exciting match?
Vidic : Yeah, yeah.
 

Ranveer : I saw a picture of all these people flipping out. I mean, If I was a player and I was told that you are going to be watched today by Nemanja Vidic, I think I'd be a little nervous. You have that quality about you. Do you know you are a very,
you know this about you? Has anyone told you, you are a very imposing figure?
Vidic : I don't know about that.
 

Ranveer : But, coming in to meeting you, I felt like, Oh my god, Vidic being an Arsenal fan, I have grown up. See, even the balls are getting scared of you.
Vidic : Even the balls are moving, yeah!
 

Ranveer : Look, look. He has not moved a muscle. And look what's happening here. Ha ha ha !
Vidic : Ha ha ha.
 

Ranveer : Having grown up an Arsenal fan, you must know, that you have been striking fear in so many hearts and souls, uh, throughout your playing time. Do you, what do you think about this reputation that you have? There is a song which has expletives, that Man U fans, especially my buddies keep singing. Ahm, that about you, that has some expletives, so I can't really sing it right now, but you know the song.
Vidic : Yeah, I know the song.
 

Ranveer : Ha ha. Yeah, he knows the song. It ends with "he'll kill ya". ha ha ha.
Vidic : Ha ha ha. Yeah. I think that's a bit because of reputation of Serbia. You know, I've come from Serbia so it's kind of uh, we have that reputation that we're tough, strong, you know. But, you can see me now, it's not...
 

Ranveer : But yes, I met him today. He's a gentle giant. He is a "naram paau"
Vidic : I am performing you know, I am the actor on the pitch. So I act you know, I am angry.
 

Ranveer : Yeah? So you scare them?
Vidic : They think I am tough but I actually, you know.
 

Ranveer : But, you know, there is such famous images of Vidic, plastered across his forehead, bleeding from the mouth, telling the Rev, "Let me go back on."
Vidic : And then say I am tough.
 

Ranveer : Ha ha ha. But he is. I have to say, I met him today. It was, he is so, so warm. The best hugs I might tell you and because in Serbia you get very, you eat tough food like you said. His stomach is also resilient to all the Indian food. I am sure you have been enjoying that.
Vidic : Yes, we have uh, I would say huh, heavy food we eat. We eat a lot of meat, a lot of sauces. So, uh, it's, Indian food, it's nothing compared to Serbia in terms of uh, I would say digestion.

Ranveer : Yeah?
Vidic : So, I would say..

Ranveer : It takes some time to get used to this Indian palate huh?
Vidic : For the moment I am okay, I don't know. If I have some...

Ranveer : Touchwood, touchwood. Knock on wood. So, I heard a few days ago that you are coming to town and I was so excited that I had to immediately share it with all my buddies. I must tell you, football in India is growing in popularity. The most popular club is Manchester United. So obviously, these guys were tripping out. My phone has not stopped since the past three days I am getting a barrage of messages. People who are out of town are sending me crying emojis. waaaa, why are you meeting Vidic. I hate you. ha ha.

Vidic : To be frank, I am surprised. It's my first time in India. So, I can say, I have travelled to much to all of the world like China, USA, Australia, and we have a great reception. In France, they always come to the matches. So it's incredible how Premier League is known everywhere we go. So, Manchester United has a club. So, I came in here I was surprised Manchester United you have here.

Ranveer : Yeah.
Vidic : So, first what they are going to do is, as soon as I come back to England, I am going to speak with the club. I have to say, what fans we have here! so..

Ranveer : Incredible amount of Man U fans.
Vidic : Incredible!

Ranveer : So, obviously, you are then such a revered figure. I have these boys who are actually coming, if you will oblige me. They will kill me.
Vidic : I am very happy to see them. Very happy.

Ranveer : So, this morning we were at the St. Andrews ground.
Vidic : I hope they haven't seen the song.

Ranveer : I don't know. They might. They are proper..
Vidic : There is a beep, yeah?

Ranveer : There is the beep.
Vidic : Okay then, okay then.

Ranveer : I met uh, I met Sir today in Andrews, Andrews ground in Bandra where I play my amateur football now as well. Where I grew up playing football actually. So, it was quiet momentous for me to meet, uh, I also played centre-back all my life. So, for me, I really admire you. So, to be playing with you on the pitch in St. Andrews was a huge moment for me.
Vidic : I enjoy this, you know, I think we created some partnership there, you know..

Ranveer : I can uh, I can be the..
Vidic : You are Rio Ferdinand and I was on the left.

Ranveer : Rio Ferdinand. ha ha ha.
Vidic : We had a good connection there.

Ranveer : Centre-back par excellence. I have some help over here. No doubt, this legendary figure has five lead titles, three league cups, five community shields, the club world cup and of course, the Champions League. You've covered it all.
Vidic : Just not FA cup.

Ranveer : Ha ha ha.
Vidic : I miss one.

Ranveer : Okay, but, I mean such an illustrious career spanning so many years. A proper, a wholesome footballing legacy. What would you attribute that to, Nemanja? I mean, let me take you back to your childhood, when did you know, I want to play professional football?
Vidic : Early days, I started when I was seven, I started in a small academy. We trained each side and five aside pitch. uh, that's my first steps and since then, I couldn't stop speaking about football. So that time was exciting time for Serbia as well.

Ranveer : So, you were immediately hooked.
Vidic : Immediately, listen. When you give the kids an opportunity to go on the pitch, so sure, I saw the kids running around. They are smiling and they don't even have to speak. They have their kind of communication. Football, it doesn't speak by words, they're speaking by reaction, by doing the things on the pitch, so, straightaway I get so into the football that football is my life.

Ranveer : So, very rightly, like you said, that's what makes football what it is. The beautiful game, you know. There are no words required. It transcends boundaries, it transcends culture and really brings the whole world together and that's what is so beautiful about it.
Vidic : Exactly.

Ranveer : So you from the age of seven, said, I will be a professional footballer, this is the only thing I love to do.
Vidic : Exactly.

Ranveer : I have the same thing about acting. When I was a kid, this is the only thing I wanted to do, was be an actor. I also thought I could be a cricketer or a footballer but I never had the scape. So, being at the top of your game for so many years, what would you accredit that to? Does it take a lot of discipline, uh, where does the motivation come from where you go out every day. Where you have to, to achieve what you have achieved. You have to go out then, put out a certain amount of energy everyday into what you do.
Vidic : I think, like you said, you had the same dream when you were young and you just wanted to be an actor. I think that dream is very important. When I was young, I just wanted to be a football player. I wanted to play for Red Star Belgrade, the biggest club in Serbia. That was my dream, I said, I want to be there, I want to be like these guys. So, that dream always made me work more.

Ranveer : I know exactly what you mean. I have that feeling.
Vidic : So, So, biggest dream you have.

Ranveer : When it's realised.
Vidic : Exactly, I think the key is to have the biggest dream possible, because that's going to push you to work harder. So, you are never going to be satisfied. You want to improve more, you want to improve more and you have the biggest dream, even if you achieve the middle of your dreams, still you're going to be..

Ranveer : Keep going...
Vidic : You're still going to be satisfied and happy

Ranveer : Happy yeah.
Vidic : And you're doing the things you love. So I think it's important at an early age, to give kids an opportunity, obviously, in India, they have acting, they'll be famous and big stars like you. Encourage those young guys to be good actors and as well if you look at football players, you have to give them options to choose what they are going to do and to find their dream. And I think, I could say, in football they can as well have a good relationship to learn how to..build their character..

Ranveer : Yeah
Vidic : You know for football, to learn to fight for themselves. I think that's important.

Ranveer : Absolutely, kids, you've heard it from Nemanja Vidic, follow your heart, do what you love and not a single day of your life will be devoid of the ultimate happiness.
Vidic : And you have to give them as well an opportunity. Give them opportunity, good coaches that can teach them to achieve their dreams.

Ranveer : Yeah, which is why this. You coming here..
Vidic : Yeah..

Ranveer : gives it such a boost you know. You have this Premier skills, initiative, you know, where you have this key to it is the coaching, the coaches, you know, training the coaches themselves.
Vidic : That's what Premier League does here. I think it's a good project. Because in Serbia, they have great facilities. But I think what the Premier League is targetting is helping these coaches to grow and to give the best possible knowledge to these young kids to grow and we need India as a nation to play football because if you have player from India I think everyone would be excited to play in the Premier League.

Ranveer : Yeah, yeah, yeah. We always wanted to see, how our players make it to the finals.
Vidic : I saw these kids, they are very competitive. I think future is there.

Ranveer : I would say cricket is the biggest sport but football is right up there. Everybody shares the common dream of seeing the national team in a world cup and all of these initiatives are helping us and I think we're in the right track with the ISL and you know, we have so many, we're such a young country. You know, a large percent of our population, almost 60% is aged in their twenties. It's a young country.
Vidic : Listen, Serbia has ten million of their people. We have people playing in NBA, we have people playing in Premier League. We have seven or eight players playing in Premier League so why India cannot have a player playing in the league.

Ranveer : You're absolutely right. We are on our way. So, who was huh.. they've got some interesting questions over here. Speaking, you were speaking of a manager you know somebody who sets the atmosphere, the tone sort of passes on his ethos to his players and you had a great relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson. So, talk to us about that, having a great mentor like that must be a great thing.
Vidic : He's very inspirational, you know, for the players. Not just for the players, for everyone who is around, who is very positive, encourage the people, even trust which is very important. I think, we have to trust the people, we have to give them responsibility and that's what it's all about. Give responsibility to the player, let him be what he is, don't try to tell him to be something that he is not. And that's the problem I think in uh...in football, in life.. So, I think he was inspirational not just for football but for life as well. So his methods and beliefs, work hard first of all, that's the start of everything, you have to work hard and give your best and then you know you don't have regrets.

Ranveer : Yeah.
Vidic : You know, I don't have regrets in my life because I know I give my best. When I play football I give my best. So it was, bad games maybe there. It’s for sure they are bad games. So they somehow mention red card against Torres you know we lost few matches at Liverpool. So I have had bad matches. But I know I give my best at the time, so no regrets.

Ranveer : Yeah.
Vidic : Well done to them, they have a better team. Well done.

Ranveer : That makes you a champion, speaking of which, when you were a youngster, like you spoke of this mentor figure that you had in your life Alex Ferguson. uh, when you were a young footballer you had just come into, you know, this mega club Manchester United, was there, when you were new, was there like a big brother figure in the team, who you sort of looked up to as a talent, you felt protected okay this guy got my back, he encourages me, I think I feel like, somebody who made you feel at home.
Vidic : That's what you know I much like about that time, it was family atmosphere, um, first of all starting from the match, like I said, before his beliefs and then my rankings going down to the players so, at the time we had Ryan Giggs, he was uh, he was at the cover already 15 years, getting a veil the pulse course. Rio Ferdinand is in the next generation coming after. Yeah? Rio was big help for me. He was really supportive when I came.

Ranveer : You can't talk to him about anything.
Vidic : So, it was kind of uh, he was really helpful.

Ranveer : That is lovely, so heartening to know of this relationship. So, you know, so that's why it became this great partnership.
Vidic : It's important.

Ranveer : It's an all-time legendary defensive partnership. You know, the greatest of all time and that chemistry is built out of real connection.
Vidic : Communication

Ranveer : Yeah.
Vidic : We have to communicate. How you feel, how I feel and then I understand what I have to do in certain situations even probably you had as well as actor. You have to understand when someone..

Ranveer : If you trust your co-actor..
Vidic : Exactly

Ranveer : You trust your co-actor, then, you both will look good. He will benefit from you and you will benefit from him. You both will look so good together in the movie. That's just like it is.
Vidic : Exactly, you see different things but it becomes similar.

Ranveer : The analogies are...
Vidic : Yeah..

Ranveer : Suppose you're having a conversation with Rio before a big match or something, who was that one, who were those few players, who, you are like you have to be careful huh Rio this time.
like is there anybody..any striker who you thought posed a threat. Today we have to be extra careful huh..he's very good..very difficult to mark, very difficult to defend.
Vidic : First six months very tough.

Ranveer : Yeah.
Vidic : I played against Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs are the peak. the...his career then Christiano Ronaldo.

Ranveer : These guys are hard to mark huh..
Vidic : So, everywhere I turn I say I cannot skip this. If I go right, it's Ryan Giggs, if I go left it's Ronaldo. In the middle, it's Rooney I say Wow and I cannot hide today. So, I was stuck in the beginning.

Ranveer : Ugh, that can be tough. It can be tough.
Vidic : There is a question here, I have to be honest, it really irritates me when people ask Messi or Ronaldo. You know, I don't know why this question comes everywhere, we've given two interviews today, both of them have asked the same question, I think both of them are both great in their own, when they do their own thing you know. Ahm, so, a player who used to maybe not directly challenge you, you know, at the time that you were playing, was there another defender who you said, man I really think this guy is good and I m going to up my game because I want to be the best. I, I think this is the astonishing level of play, I admire that. Was there a guy like that, who you used to look to and be like, that guy is really good, man.
Vidic : Yes, yes..Many times, many many players. So, when you know your age..my age was..uh..you don't know nothing about him (can't understand the name). He was playing for the Red Star Belgrade. Obviously, everyone knows about (a few names I can't understand at 16.30) then Nesta, he has a great career. So, then Rio Ferdinand, he started before me, he has already established himself as a top player. Uhm, then we have Paolo Maldini (can't understand the name at 16.41)..at the time he played for Liverpool, he has always been 150%, brave, top player. uh, John Terry, you know, he plays for Chelsea, so..so many things so..yeah..it was a lot of players I admire, I respect and of course you want to be as them, you challenge yourself. That's why I am saying football is good. You don't hate these guys, you want to be as them..you want to be better than them..you compete.. you know, that's football.

Ranveer : Yeah, absolutely. Again, to draw anology to acting I see somebody's performance in a film blows me away, I am like..that's so good even I want to do something that's..
Vidic : It gives you standards, it gives you a standard. Everyone is going forward. Next time, you are going to do better and it's great to...

Ranveer : Absolutely, uhh, you mentioned some of my favourite centre-backs Maldini, Nesta, John Terry and of course you. No doubt, Carles Puyol.
Vidic : Carles Puyol, Bravo, yeah! Yeah, sorry about that I forgot..

Ranveer : These are the, these are my favourite..this is my generation..these are my favourite players. This is when I was playing the centre-back for school.. I was.. I was like.. I was in that mold you know..I was strong..I was very physical..I used to do my acting..ha ha
Vidic : I can see that..

Ranveer : Ha ha..not now man..
Vidic : Stay in good shape..stay in good shape..

Ranveer : I lost ten kilos for my movie..now I am feeling very light..
Vidic : Yeah..

Ranveer : But, usually I am buff. Like if you met me six months back I would be like Hey Nemanja what's up? what's going on? ha ha
Vidic : ha ha..but that's the thing you know..you have to sacrifice for..

Ranveer : Did that happen with you as well, like you had to put on a lot of muscle at some point..
Vidic : Exactly, that's Premier League. It's the..for me it's the best league of all others..most competitive league..because if you look at premier league, you have to play against Crouch, two metres tall..you have to play against him then next game you have Aguero..very small and skillful..

Ranveer : Ha ha ha..
Vidic : You have Drogba..one game you have to be sharp and quick and other game you have to be good in here..so it's very difficult to play..

Ranveer : What was it like, I am so curious..what was it like against Drogba..What do you have to be careful of?
Vidic : I eat more chicken, beef and pasta before the game..but if I play against Aguero I eat fish you know, right food you know..maybe lose one or two kilos..

Ranveer : ha ha ha.
Vidic : You know, so yeah..it's different

Ranveer : It's different with everyone huh?
Vidic : Because every week is different..

Ranveer : Yeah, so you have to constantly keep evolving your skillset.
Vidic : Yes, yes..you have to be able to jump. You should be good in the air..you should be good on the ground with the small and sharp players..It's very..sometimes you go direct..ball is playing if you want to stalk..if you go to..I don't know..

Ranveer : They're just coming in from the air huh?
Vidic : So yeah, you defending all the time..you're very physical you know..so..it's a great league to play..I enjoy playing really..

Ranveer : Yeah, you enjoy the time huh..that's some great football there..so what about young defenders..do you see in football now some defenders who do you think have a lot of potential to achieve what you achieved?
Vidic : Yeah, it is huh..it is sort of players I think we have always Piques is a generation he's already established but he's still young..we have lot of players..I uh..I think (can't identify name) he's uh..he's a player with potential..he has a problem with injuries..as well with Jones..he has a lot of players problem with injuries..I think he's very..he's a very good player but unlucky..

Ranveer : Just in a few months, you'll be supporting Serbia no doubt about it..Which other teams do you think are looking strong this time?
Vidic : It's hard to say, if you look at Ghana was in semi-final. That could be encouraging as well for India..you know, I didn't expect Ghana to be in semi-final

Ranveer : Very small country you know...yeah..
Vidic : Croatia..small country was playing in final..

Ranveer : Yeah..Croatia has some great players yeah..
Vidic : Yeah, it's huh..600 million people..

Ranveer : I remember that world cup so clearly..I used to be glued to the television screen in that particular world cup and I..
Vidic : I want to finish about Serbia..I was speaking about that and please don't let me..I have to talk about Serbia please..

Ranveer : Talk to me about Serbia..
Vidic : After the two world cups, we qualified..please..support Serbia.

Ranveer : I am supporting it..my boy Vidic..I'll be like Vidicccc!
Vidic : And then when India comes to the world cup I am going to support, I am coming to the match..I'll do it.

Ranveer : Agreed, I don't know when it's going to be..but I hope it's sooner.
Vidic : I am going to meet you..we're going together, we're going together..

Ranveer : Come on, Nemanja! Come on..
Vidic : Ha ha ha..

Ranveer : Wow, this has been a great chat..
Vidic : Is it so..I have to ask you a question then..just one question..how do you manage to be good at everything?

Ranveer : I am not good at everything..
Vidic : You're a very good dancer, good looking, you can do interviews,

Ranveer : That's debatable
Vidic : You acting, you can lose ten kilos, you can have 70 you can have 90 kilos. How you doing that? What is your very fine inspiration, how you, you know, because you have to improve..you have to do horse riding, you have to do the karate or whatever..it's lot of uhh..you need a lot of time to do this..where you find energy?

Ranveer : The..you know..I'll just have to go back to where we started this conversation Nemanja..it's like if you love what you do you don't know where the energy comes from..it just comes you know..it's like a blessing to be doing what you doing if you're into it, if your heart is in it and you love it..You have no idea how they unlock your potential as a person..you will just find the energy and not a single day at work when I go to a film set everyday..not a single day feels..I don't feel the burden of work..I wake up in the morning and I can't wait to get to set..today I have to do horse riding, tomorrow I have to do break dance and the next day I have to rap..it is so..it is so exciting for me..that..I just..I am..I am in it whole and soul, you know..that's..
Vidic : You know I can see all of that..I am amazed..so that's why I was asking the question..but did anyone help you to achieve the love because sometimes you know, you start doing certain things and maybe someone can stop you holding the things in the interest of how he approaches you, maybe the movie you have or whatever..it can be a lot on you..

Ranveer : I'll draw a football analogy, sometimes you have a manager who really recognizes your potential trusts you and brings out the best in you..I just had a release of a film called Padmaavat, it's my third movie with the same director. His name is Sanjay Leela Bhansali. I would love for you to watch his films. They're some of the best films of Hindi cinema. I would say his and my collaboration, he's really managed to, sort of unleash, recognize my potential and unleash it in different characters. So, in one film I played Romeo, you know lover boy..In one film, I played a very noble righteous warrior and in the last movie I played a villian, the bad guy..
Vidic : I know how it feels..that..

Ranveer : Ha ha ha, you can relate to that..
Vidic : Great..

Ranveer : So, you know, I have explored different characters..
Vidic : you see we can learn from each other..that way we can learn from you know..it's great..it's cool..

Ranveer : Amazing chat, I enjoyed it..
Vidic : Thank you man. Thank you..I enjoyed it..

Ranveer : Thank you so much.
Vidic : And good..as a presenter I am proud you know what I mean..special man huh..

Ranveer : It's been a privilege to be speaking with you, sitting with you, playing with you..We are honoured to have you here..
Vidic : I enjoyed it..I enjoyed it..

Ranveer : Thank you, Nemanja. Thank you.