Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 28, 2017)

After she sent gossip mills into an overdrive last September by going out on a dinner date with Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin, Bollywood actress Esha Gupta returned to the Queen’s City to unveil the Highbury-based football club’s new kit recently. Insisting that she’s been a sports girl all her life, she says, “I’ve been an Arsenal fan for as long as I can remember. Like every Indian I’m crazy about cricket but football has also intrigued me and I it’s history and geography. Modeling the team jersey was an opportunity too good to miss.”

Speaking of how the opportunity, she informs that she has been invited to sit in the VIP box and watch the game before. “This time, I happened to be in London and when they asked, I told them that I’d love to launch ‘the new awaken’,” she says, adding that despite her interest in the game, she likes to take someone knowledgeable along for matches for company. “It is so I wouldn’t just be the cheer girl in a stadium packed with screaming fans. I watched my first Arsenal game six years ago. They were up against Chelsea. I hope to be their lucky mascot for them during the upcoming match on Saturday so I can hear fans chanting the Arsenel anthem and booing the opponents. From an 'Oh-my-God!’ moment during kickoff to the 'God, save us!' during an penalty, I feel I’m one with thousands of the club fanatics at the stadium.”

She credits her dad with her current interest in football. “My dad is a fan and would rave about how Arsenal always gets and trains amazing new young players. Players like Andre Santos and Lucas Perez are my absolute favourites. It just happens that they also get the most good-looking players,” she laughs.

So, how good a friend is Hector, the club’s 21-year-old star? “That dinner was last year. Honestly I’m used to such link-ups. It’s just that the paparazzi didn’t catch me at any other dinner. I wouldn’t want to comment,” she demurs.

So who’s her favourite player? “Right now I love Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud. I’m also excited about Alexandre Lacazette who has just been signed. At the jersey launch I was asked what number I liked and I picked 9 which was my way of welcoming Lacazette. The moment he signed up, I posted about him online. I’m a fan and get excited when great players are taken on. Talks are on with Thomas Lemar and I hope he comes on board too. We need good players like him,” she asserts.

And has she got any of the players interested in Bollywood yet? “Not yet. Robert Pires came to India some time ago. I met him and I’m guessing he knows about Bollywood and its actors now. If I get a chance, I’d like to screen one of our films for the players. I’ve been an ardent fan of Arsenal for 16 years now but Bollywood comes first,” she signs off.