We wanted to show Paes-Bhupathi’s vulnerable side: Nitesh Tiwari on directing ‘Break Point’

Filmmaker Nitesh Tiwari discusses collaborating with his filmmaker wife, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, to bring out a seven-episode docu-series on tennis legends, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi

Nitesh Tiwari has been following tennis ever since Boris Becker emerged a star, thanks to his fast-paced serve and volleying skills that included the signature dive-and-take point at the net. This was a time when televisions mushroomed in small towns and sports enthusiasts who had access, were warming up to the popularity of football and tennis; the fervour for cricket never went out of fashion. “That was when I gravitated towards tennis,” recalls Tiwari about being an avid sports enthusiast from childhood.

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Growing up, Tiwari says he dabbled in all kind of sports, but his interest in tennis was directly linked to Becker’s rise and the kind of tennis he brought, making the sport all the more fun to watch. A few years later, Tiwari would root for a doubles’ pair from India who would go on to win back-to-back Grand Slams in 1999. Those two players, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, fondly called Lee-Hesh, are now the focal point of Break Point, a seven-episode documentary series, directed by husband-wife duo, Nitesh Tiwari and Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari.