Superfan: The Nav Bhatia Story
How a self-made businessman who immigrated to Canada in the '80s became the Toronto Raptors’ beloved superfan
Watch Superfan: The Nav Bhatia Story, a CBC Docs Special, on Dec. 3 at 9 p.m.
Nav Bhatia has attended almost every single Toronto Raptors home game since the team's first season in 1995. This is the story of how he went from the only "guy with a turban and beard" at early Raptors games to one of the most famous basketball fans in the world — with an NBA championship ring and a place in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to prove it.
Superfan: The Nav Bhatia Story follows the legendary fan's journey and the arguably similar trajectory of the Raptors, who went from the worst team in the Eastern Conference to an unbelievable NBA championship win in 2019.
Bhatia grew up in Delhi and hadn't planned to move to Canada. But in 1984, members of India's Sikh community were targeted in riots that are estimated to have killed more than 3,000 people. After the massacre, Bhatia and his wife moved to the Toronto area.
Life was safer in Canada, but it was difficult: Bhatia was the target of racism and singled out for looking different. His friends told him he would need to shave his beard and remove his turban if he ever wanted to find a job. But Bhatia didn't give up; he eventually found work selling cars.
Bhatia never let bitterness get the best of him; instead, he stuck to his philosophy: "treat people like you want to be treated yourself." With a mixture of kindness and hard work, he beat the odds to become a record-breaking car salesman and, later, the owner of four dealerships.
When the Raptors came to town in 1995, Bhatia was there.
Today, the team boasts one of the most diverse fan bases in North America, and a Sikh man in a turban is one of the most recognizable faces in the seats.
Superfan: The Nav Bhatia Story features interviews with family, friends and famous faces like comedian Russell Peters, former NBA superstar Vince Carter, Raptors head coach Nick Nurse, Raptors legend and Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas and more.
Through them, we get a look at the struggles and successes of Bhatia, the immigrant Everyman who went on to become the Raptors' most beloved superfan.
Celebrating several high points in Bhatia's life — from acting as grand marshal of the Raptors' homecoming parade in 2019 to becoming the only fan to receive the coveted championship ring and to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, this is an intimate portrait of a man with a very public persona.
The documentary goes beyond the game and glory, taking a deep dive into how the Raptors and Bhatia have worked together to become a force for good for youth and diverse communities — both in Canada and around the world.
Watch Superfan: The Nav Bhatia Story, a CBC Docs Special, on Dec. 3 at 9 p.m.
