Inside this Bollywood star’s rugby union dream

Bollywood star Rahul Bose grew up playing rugby. Now he’s leveraging Australia to build a new rugby competition that he thinks can transform the sport.

Former Bollywood star Rahul Bose is helming a new era of rugby in India. Getty Images

Zoe SamiosBusiness reporter

Apr 30, 2025 – 12.19pm

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In a matter of days, three Indian movie stars will appear on television screens across the South Asian country as part of a major new sporting promotion. So far, so Bollywood.

But the celebrities will not be endorsing cricket, a sport that is as ingrained in Indian culture as the home-grown film industry.

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Zoe SamiosBusiness reporterZoe Samios covers wagering and the business of sport from the AFR's Sydney newsroom. She was previously the media and telecommunications reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, and covered media at The Australian.