2016: The year of Sports Films in Bollywood
From wrestling to football, at least 8 B-Town movies this year are based on various sports
Emraan Hashmi-starrer Azhar, a biopic on former Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin, released last week. Going by B-Town standards, a film like Azhar is a rarity. You see, Bollywood is not very high on movies that revolve around sports. Prakash Jha's Hip Hip Hurray (1984), Mansoor Khan’s Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992), Nagesh Kukunoor's Iqbal (2005), Shimit Amin's Chak De India (2007), Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013), Omung Kumar's Mary Kom (2014), Karan Malhotra's Brothers (2015) -- the examples are few and far between.
Having said that, one can’t help noticing that this year has seen a spurt in such movies. At least 8 Hindi films on sports will hit the screens in 2016. Here’s looking at them:
SAALA KHADOOS
R.Madhavan gave 3 years of his life to make this Sudha Kongara Prasad-directed film, which was simultaneously released in Tamil as Irudhi Suttru. Both versions amassed massive critical acclaim, with the Tamil one even breaking some records at the box-office. The movie was a true depiction of the Indian Boxing Federation’s internal politics. Newbie Ritika Singh even won a National Award for her brilliant portrayal of a female pugilist.
SULTAN
This Salman Khan-starrer, directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, is all about wrestling. And why just Salman, his leading lady Anushka Sharma also plays a wrestler in this Eid release. The film, produced by Yash Raj Films, revolves around Sultan (Salman), a small-town wrestler from Haryana who goes on to win global recognition.
DANGAL
This Nitesh Tiwari-directorial is also based on wrestling. A biopic on Mahavir Singh Phogat, it revolves around how he trained his two daughters -- as wrestlers -- for Olympics. The film has none other than Aamir Khan playing the central character. The ‘Mr Perfectionist’ that he is, Aamir has drastically transformed himself for the film. He first gained over 30 kg and then shed it too, within the span of a year, to portray Phogat.
M.S. DHONI: THE UNTOLD STORY
Based on the not-much-known early life of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India's most successful Cricket Captain, this is one of 2016’s most-anticipated films. The film’s teasers have been well appreciated. Sushant Singh Rajput plays the title character in this movie, which has been directed by Neeraj Pandey.
DO LAFZON KI KAHANI
With the exception of last year’s Brothers, B-Town does not have any film on mixed martial arts. Come next month and another film on MMA will hit the screens -- Deepak Tijori’s Do Lafzon Ki Kahani. The film stars Randeep Hooda as an MMA champion and Kajal Aggarwal as his blind girlfriend.
SACHIN: A BILLION DREAMS
Now, this is one sports film every Indian is dying to watch -- a biopic on the ‘God Of Cricket’, Sachin Tendulkar. The James Erskine-directorial isn't a typical Bollywood biopic -- it’s more of a docudrama, which was shot over 30 months in 5 countries. While the cricketer plays the grown-up version of himself, his son Arjun plays the young Sachin.
SAAT KADAM
Football films are rare in B-Town, and that’s one reason why Mohit Jha’s Saat Kadam has scored a goal even before its trailer has been released. With West Bengal’s craze for the game as its backdrop, the film revolves around a Kolkatan footballer’s relationship with his father. Amit Sadh plays the footballer and Ronit Roy, his father. Deeksha Seth plays Amit’s love interest in the sports drama, that’s being produced by Eros International.
Thumbnail image Source: facebook/sultanthemovie/
Having said that, one can’t help noticing that this year has seen a spurt in such movies. At least 8 Hindi films on sports will hit the screens in 2016. Here’s looking at them:
SAALA KHADOOS
R.Madhavan gave 3 years of his life to make this Sudha Kongara Prasad-directed film, which was simultaneously released in Tamil as Irudhi Suttru. Both versions amassed massive critical acclaim, with the Tamil one even breaking some records at the box-office. The movie was a true depiction of the Indian Boxing Federation’s internal politics. Newbie Ritika Singh even won a National Award for her brilliant portrayal of a female pugilist.
SULTAN
This Salman Khan-starrer, directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, is all about wrestling. And why just Salman, his leading lady Anushka Sharma also plays a wrestler in this Eid release. The film, produced by Yash Raj Films, revolves around Sultan (Salman), a small-town wrestler from Haryana who goes on to win global recognition.
DANGAL
This Nitesh Tiwari-directorial is also based on wrestling. A biopic on Mahavir Singh Phogat, it revolves around how he trained his two daughters -- as wrestlers -- for Olympics. The film has none other than Aamir Khan playing the central character. The ‘Mr Perfectionist’ that he is, Aamir has drastically transformed himself for the film. He first gained over 30 kg and then shed it too, within the span of a year, to portray Phogat.
M.S. DHONI: THE UNTOLD STORY
Based on the not-much-known early life of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India's most successful Cricket Captain, this is one of 2016’s most-anticipated films. The film’s teasers have been well appreciated. Sushant Singh Rajput plays the title character in this movie, which has been directed by Neeraj Pandey.
DO LAFZON KI KAHANI
With the exception of last year’s Brothers, B-Town does not have any film on mixed martial arts. Come next month and another film on MMA will hit the screens -- Deepak Tijori’s Do Lafzon Ki Kahani. The film stars Randeep Hooda as an MMA champion and Kajal Aggarwal as his blind girlfriend.
SACHIN: A BILLION DREAMS
Now, this is one sports film every Indian is dying to watch -- a biopic on the ‘God Of Cricket’, Sachin Tendulkar. The James Erskine-directorial isn't a typical Bollywood biopic -- it’s more of a docudrama, which was shot over 30 months in 5 countries. While the cricketer plays the grown-up version of himself, his son Arjun plays the young Sachin.
SAAT KADAM
Football films are rare in B-Town, and that’s one reason why Mohit Jha’s Saat Kadam has scored a goal even before its trailer has been released. With West Bengal’s craze for the game as its backdrop, the film revolves around a Kolkatan footballer’s relationship with his father. Amit Sadh plays the footballer and Ronit Roy, his father. Deeksha Seth plays Amit’s love interest in the sports drama, that’s being produced by Eros International.
Thumbnail image Source: facebook/sultanthemovie/
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