Plenty of Sachin, but few surprises
Sachin: A billion dreams (biopic) Direction: James Erskine Rating:
Sachin: A Billion Dreams recreates, beautifully, the glorious ’90s, an era in which the BCCI was still becoming the superpower of world cricket.
A time when the blot of match-fixing loomed large, and relationships between our idols, including Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammed Azharuddin, players and advertisers, the BCCI and the Doordarshan, were complicated.
Do go in knowing, however, that rather than a hard-hitting docu-drama that answers unanswered questions, this is an unbridled celebration of one man. The first half traces the familiar tale of a boy driven by passion, egged on by his brother Ajit and moulded by coach Ramakant Achrekar; of raw talent solidified by face-offs with Waqar Younis’s whispering bouncers; of injuries, losses, astonishing wins and the birth of a legend.
At some point, director James Erskine seems to realise that it’s a story we know too well. So he shifts focus to the people close to the man.
You get rare camera time with the very private Anjali, who gave up a career in medicine so that her husband could live out his dream.
Other than in Anjali’s candour, though, there is little being said that is new.
Adoration, check. Worship, check. Fond memories, check.
Most of the film is fans, loved ones and journalists talking about Sachin’s many wonderful talents, unforgettable moments, and his glorious career. It doesn’t help that, when juicy topics are raised, the man remains as guarded as he always has been. “Kuch pata rahe toh bolun,” is his comment on spot fixing, for instance.