Mr. Perfectionist Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan is all set to face the five-time world champion, Viswanathan Anand, in a game of chess, as per a Twitter post by Chess.com – India.
The two geniuses in their respective fields will compete in an exhibition match. The chess match is being held for a noble cause in an event called ‘Checkmate COVID (Celebrity Edition)’.
The event is scheduled to be held on June 13, 2021, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. It will be streamed live on the YouTube channel of Chesscom India. The event is being held in association with the Akshaya Patra Foundation.
As per their website https://www.akshayapatra.org/checkmate-covid, the proceeds from the donations made for the event will be used to feed hungry people across India.
Besides Aamir Khan, it was also announced that another chess-loving Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh will also take on the chess legend Viswanathan Anand in the much-anticipated event. The chess champion will reportedly compete with Indian celebrities at a go in half-hour simul games.
The opening ceremony of the ‘Checkmate COVID (Celebrity Edition)’ event will commence at 5:00 PM. From 5:30 PM to 6:00 PM, Viswanathan Anand will play chess matches with Indian celebrities, simultaneously. Thereafter, he will play with the next batch of celebrities from 6:45 PM to 7:45 PM. The event would conclude at 8:00 PM.
Bollywood actor Aamir Khan’s penchant for the game of chess is well known in the film industry. The ‘Lagaan’ actor has often been snapped while playing chess with his co-stars.
Moreover, this is not the first time Aamir Khan will be playing the game with Viswanathan Anand. They had played a friendly match at Maharashtra Chess League in the year 2015. Although Mr. Anand was the winner, however, Aamir Khan’s moves had made the champion think.
Such is the mutual respect between the two celebrities that Viswanathan Anand had once remarked that if his biopic were ever made in Bollywood, he would want the chess-playing actor Aamir Khan to essay the role.
Aamir Khan’s fans are eagerly waiting for his upcoming film ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’. The film is an adaptation of Robert Zemeckis’ 1994 cult movie ‘Forrest Gump’ starring Tom Hanks. The film is expected to release during Christmas 2021.