Executive Dossier
New Innings on the silver screen
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His Greek God like well chiseled looks and physique made many a young lady’s heart throb as he strode across the ground to hurl his outswingers at international cricketers of the likes of Steve Waugh. These days, however, Salil Ankola is seeking to make a mark of a different kind: as an actor both on the small and the wide screen. |
The 30 year old good looker hails from Karvar in the Konkan district. , But he was born in Solapur, Maharashtra. A commerce graduate from Pune, he started playing serious cricket when he entered the 11th standard. By 18, he was in the Indian cricket team. And he did leave an impression with his pace. He looked like he had a long cricketing career ahead of him. But a tumor developed in his leg. An operation followed, and it forced him to abort whatever cricketing ambitions he nursed.
It is said that when fate closes one door, it opens another. With his good looks it was no surprise that he started receiving offers for films and television.
His first serial Chahat Aur Nafrat attracted instant attention. Then came Kora Kagaz, which continues it’s successful run on Star Plus. He is also there in recently launched TV serials Khaki and Kurukshetra. He signed his first movie with Mahesh Manjarekar recently, and has acted 5 movies so far. He candidly admits that he has never planned anything in his life. He takes life as it comes to him. As a true family man, he likes spending time at home with his wife, and two children.
Read Salil Ankola’s interview
“I was destined to be in show biz”
MUMBAI: Game faces on, pressure high India’s gaming ambitions are levelling up. Good Game, billed as the world’s first as-live global gaming reality show, has officially launched in India with a bold mission: to crown the country’s first Global Gaming Superstar.
Blending esports with mainstream entertainment, the show brings together competitive gaming, creativity and on-camera performance in a format that tests more than just joystick skills. Contestants will be judged on gameplay, screen presence and their ability to perform under pressure, reflecting how gaming has evolved from pastime to profession and pop culture currency.
Fronting the show are three high-profile ambassadors: actor and entrepreneur Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Indian cricket star Rishabh Pant, and gaming creator Ujjwal Chaurasia. The winner will take home Rs 1 crore ($100,000) among the largest prize pools for any Indian reality show along with the chance to represent India on a global stage.
Backed by a planned annual investment of up to Rs 100 crore, Good Game is also courting brand partners, promising a minimum reach of 500 million among India’s core youth audience. The creators position the show as a bridge between entertainment and interactive culture, offering long-format content, community engagement and commercial scale.
Auditions are now open to Indian citizens aged 18 and above, inviting amateur and professional gamers, creators and performers alike. Shortlisted candidates will be called for in-person auditions in Mumbai on 14 and 15 February, and in Delhi on 28 February and 1 March 2026.
With big money, big names and even bigger ambition, Good Game signals a shift in how India views gaming not just as play, but as performance, profession and prime-time spectacle.
