Cinema VinesIndia’s burgeoning motorsport scene has gained a new high‑profile champion as actor‑entrepreneur John Abraham was announced as the Strategic Advisor for the Indian Superbike League (ISBL) on Tuesday. The move, revealed alongside a slick promotional film, signals a fresh blend of racing, entertainment and pop culture aimed at energising the country’s motorcycle community.
Abraham, who has long been celebrated as one of India’s most‑followed motorcycle personalities, said the partnership lets him combine two core passions: his love of bikes and his experience as a sports‑team owner. “Motorcycles have always been a deeply personal passion. Being a sports team owner has also taught me what it takes to turn belief into sustained commitment,” he explained. “ISBL brings those two parts of my life together. I want to help young Indian riders get the opportunities they deserve and share the thrill of motorcycle racing with a whole new generation of fans. It’s time to get India racing.”
ISBL, sanctioned by the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), will operate as a franchise‑based championship. It will feature two professional categories, alongside Amateur, Female Riders and Rookie classes, creating a structured competitive environment that also opens doors for teams, technical staff, brands and creators across the motorsport ecosystem.
Pranav Bakre, the league’s CEO, highlighted the personal nature of the project, noting his family’s racing background. “I come from a family of racers, so building ISBL is deeply personal. My ambition is to carry that legacy forward by creating something that opens doors for the next generation,” he said. “With racing at its heart, and music and culture bringing more people into its world, ISBL is how I want to make that happen.”
Dhuleva Group’s Managing Director and anchor investor Avi Jain added that the venture offers a chance to build a premium, commercially sustainable league. “My passion for motoring draws me to racing. As an investor, what excites me is the opportunity to build a business around it that creates lasting value,” he noted. “With ISBL, our ambition is to build a premium, commercially sustainable league that fans return to and partners want to grow with, season after season.”
Details on teams, riders, race formats and venues will be released in the coming weeks, but the league’s launch film and the appointment of a high‑profile figure like Abraham are already generating buzz across Bollywood, motorsport and fan communities alike.
