Far underneath the layers of moolah and fame, cricket in India at its very core, remains a game of intense inspiration and motivation.
The path carved out by the cricketers to reach the pinnacles of success is smoldered with immense sacrifice, hard work, determination and fortitude. Sans sponsorship and world-class infrastructure on many occasions, the average Indian domestic player rises above all odds to finally conquer them.
Their days of heroic struggle through innumerable obstacles while surviving stiff competition, at times, has the potential to get lost in the whirlwind world of stardom which they go on to encounter.
Bollywood, which shares a unique love affair with cricket, has tried exploring the psyche of the sportsman at regular intervals and here are five Bollywood movies on cricket, each boasting an intriguing central theme.
1 – LAGAAN (2001)
‘Lagaan’ was nominated for an Oscar in the Foreign Film Category.
Elegantly depicting the colonial rule through the medium of cricket, Ashutosh Gowariker’s Lagaan earned critical appreciation, even entering the hallowed Academy Awards as a nominee.
Set in the village of Champaner in 1893 when imperialism and taxation were at its peak, the movie revolves around a game of cricket, the result of which becomes essential for the villagers’ survival.
The main protagonist of the story, Bhuvan, earns the disdain of Captain Andrew Russell after the former mocks the game of cricket during a visit to the ruler. Bhuvan takes up the challenge of fighting the British in cricket after Russell promises a waiver in the taxes for the whole province for three years if the villagers win the game. The flipside? A loss would ensure an increase in the amount of tax to be paid, almost three times the sum of their normal tax amount.
Thus begins the tale of convincing and arguments which ultimately leads to determination. Learning the ropes of an alien sport, however, is no mean feat. Starting off with just five willing villagers, Bhuvan, through great oration, brings together a squad of eleven members, who fight day in and day out for a triumph.
Boosted by the spin of Kachra, an untouchable Dalit, the movie goes beyond the peripheries of cricket, spreading a message of equality and acceptance.
The second half of the movie focuses on the match in question. With over 300 runs to chase, Bhuvan’s team, despite losing wickets in a cluster, manage to keep the asking rate within reach. Courtesy of a well-made hundred by Bhuvan, the equation boils down to five runs from the last ball.
A no-ball follows. Three runs in the last delivery with Bhuvan on strike. A swing of the bat ends in joy for Russell as he catches the batsman near the ropes. However, in a rather anti-climatic fashion, the Captain goes beyond the boundary rope with the ball in hand. As the umpire signals a six, a well-deserved win, fraught with tears and smiles, is accorded to Champaner.
2 – JANNAT (2008)
Released in ’08, ‘Jannat’ revolved around the menace of match-fixing.
Dealing with the riches that the cricketing world has to offer, Jannat is a poignant take on greed and lust that match fixing has at its disposal. The story entails Arjun’s obsession with money and how a chance encounter with Zoya in a mall convinces the protagonist to make big bucks in a jiffy to impress her.
The easy route for Arjun is to become a bookie, which gains further ground after he meets Don Abu Ibrahim in South Africa. Having an astute mind, Arjun soon becomes his key match fixer. Zoya, unaware that he is embroiled in a crime branch, is shocked to see visits from the South Africa police, who tell her of Arjun’s shady activities, also notifying her that the money earned through fixing by the Don is being used to fund terrorism all over the globe.
Arjun is nabbed and sentenced to five years of imprisonment. With the upcoming World Cup offering a chance to hit the lottery, Don uses his contacts to get his key henchman released from jail.
It is here that Arjun is offered a shot at salvation. After his release, a search for Zoya ensues, which ends with Arjun turning over a new leaf for his lady love.
All seems well, when Don Abu Ibrahim contacts Arjun again with an offer he cannot refuse. In a bid to provide his unborn child with all the joys, Arjun participates in one last endeavour days before the World Cup is to begin.
After being caught by the coach of a national team for handing over money to his players to underperform, Arjun finally gets shot in the shootout that follows.
The movie ends on a note of irony as years later, Zoya’s son is seen discarding the new toy he has yearned to purchase in the supermarket as his mother is short on funds. Brimming with unnoticeable contrast, Arjun’s greed pitted against his young son’s maturity is a lesson for all youngsters who might, unconsciously, tread the path towards doom.
3 – IQBAL (2005)
‘Iqbal’ was actor Shreyas Talpade’s debut film.
Language, or rather the lack of it, is no barrier for success, which seems to be the motto of critically acclaimed film Iqbal. Centring on a deaf and mute boy, Iqbal is a story of a young boy who is driven by the ambitious zeal to represent his country in a sport which is not just a mere game to him.
Dissuaded by his father, a poor farmer, Iqbal secretly embarks on a journey to learn the ropes of cricket, with sister Khadija in tow.
Impressing former India captain Guruji with his accurate line and length, Iqbal gets accepted into his academy. Sadly, as is the norm in India even today, the poor man gets side-lined by the rich man’s son, the father of whom funds the academy. Dispirited but not disarrayed, Iqbal traverses on his journey yet again, seeking help from drunkard Mohit, once a great cricketer.
Away from the prying eyes of his father, Iqbal practices late into the night. Naming the buffaloes after actual Indian players might provide a comic strain, but it only portrays Iqbal’s underlying love for the game of cricket.
After earning a spot in the Andhra Pradesh Ranji Trophy team through sheer perseverance, the vices of cricket engulf Iqbal’s environment. With the final of the Ranji Trophy around the corner, Guruji bribes the youngster to underperform in front of the national selectors.
Risking his career for his father’s luxuries, Iqbal agrees only to be offered a healthier deal by a leading sports agent if he performs well.
A notable performance impresses selector Kapil Dev, who is present in the movie in a guest role. The end credentials see the lad from a poor background donning the India jersey as chants of “India” fill the air, sending goosebumps all around.
Iqbal speaks a thousand words for the people with a dream, showing them the way to fulfil the same with aplomb.
4 – PATIALA HOUSE (2010)
Patiala House: An Indian’s dream to play for England.
Loosely revolving around the life of English spinner Monty Panesar, Patiala House tells the story of a Punjabi kid’s dream to pursue his ambition of playing cricket for England.
The very thought of his son turning out for another country, that too in the arena of cricket, displeases Gattu’s father to the core. Ebbing with patriotism and petrified by the chants of racism that threaten to loom over his son’s head, the father provides an ultimatum to Gattu – back down or he will commit suicide.
In a hostile environment, Gattu pushes through the obstacles, albeit in secrecy, to eventually find a spot in the England team.
A melodramatic second half spills the beans on Gattu’s fame. Threatened and re-threatened by his father after a heart attack, Gattu goes into a shell of utter disgust at his father’s lack of support.
Patiala House remains a representation of a child’s battle against the demons in his own family, who prevent him from climbing the higher rungs of the ladder. Like Iqbal, the film concludes on a familiar scene – a cheering father, who has been convinced, seeing his son win the Championship for his adopted homeland.
5 – FERRARI KI SAWAARI
‘Ferrari ki Sawaari’ was a low key film that received praise.
Ferrari ki Sawaari, unlike Iqbal or Patiala House, is modeled on a father’s journey to see his son playing at the hallowed turf of Lord’s in England. With the eyes gleaming with the ultimate destination, the story is a tale of the earnest sacrifices that Rusy offers for his son Ritwik.
An honest and upright Rusy, who even goes to the extent of finding a policeman to pay his fine if he ever manages to jump a traffic signal, is asked to steal the coveted red Ferrari from maestro Sachin Tendulkar’s mansion in Mumbai for an hour. In exchange, he will be given a sum which will be adequate to send Ritwik to England.
Based on a heartfelt storyline, the plot reminds us of the genuine hardships a father undertakes for his child’s future and happiness. Forcing one to empathise with the struggles of a cricketer from a middle class household, Ferrari ki Sawaari tugs the heart strings.
When Rusy breaks his piggy bank to count the money, paisa by paisa, or when he rummages the sports ware shop for the perfect cricket bat for his son, only to be short in funds, one can sense his despair, his disappointment and his frustration.
The joy on his face when his son finally realises his dream is a sight to relish. The audience cheers, the audience celebrates; because the very foundation of the movie is to dodge through obstacles to emerge victorious in the game of life.
