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IT’S RAINING SPORTS FILMS IN BOLLYWOOD
Filmmakers say sports-based films have an aura that warrants rewatching
Cricket, football, hockey — you name it and all these sports have been explored in Hindi films. Such has been the impact of sports on the entertainment industry. The track record says, if made well, films based on either sports or sportspersons can hit the bullseye. Cases in point: Dangal (2016), Chak De! India (2007), Saina (2021), and more.
Ex-cricketer Sourav Ganguly recently confirmed that he has given his nod to a biopic, while actor Ajay Devgn already has Maidaan, centered on football, lined up. Filmmaker Kabir Khan’s ’83 is also completed. Filmmaker Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, along with husband filmmaker Nitesh Tiwari, is making a web series on tennis duo Leander Paes and Mahesh
Bhupathi.
“Sports and sportspeople will always be there to live a story of inspiration and aspiration. With the changing times, and youngsters either taking up sports (professionally) or following it religiously, it is important to keep nurturing minds with different kinds of sports stories,” says Ashwiny Tiwari.
Trade expert Atul Mohan feels that the stellar performance by the Indian athletes at the recently held Tokyo Olympics will lead to a spurt in the number of sports films. But, a lot of movies that are in the works were announced much before the Olympics. “Taapsee Pannu has been working on Shabaash Mithu (a biopic on cricketer Mithali Raj) and Rashmi Rocket. Today, the pattern of telling stories has changed. Generic rom-coms don’t work.
People want motivational and inspirational stories,” he says.
Another biopic in the offing is one on track and field athlete Pinki Pramanik. Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit, who announced it, says, “The film is not just about sports. It also focuses on how Pinki underwent torture. She was framed for rape and for being a man. When my writer, Priyanka Ghatak, narrated this, I felt this film had to be made.”
Exhibitor Akshaye Rathi says, sports, as a genre, can bring about a good cinematic experience. More so, because the need of the hour is to get people to the theatres. In order to keep the business running. “If captured right, these films can create solid play around making an engaging narrative for a couple of hours. Sports lend themselves phenomenally to cinema. It’s a terrific opportunity to utilise,” he says.