English
Chak De! India Revisit: Chak De! India, starring Shah Rukh Khan in the main lead is still considered one of the best sports films till date. Despite of the cliche term being used for many overhyped films, Chak De… was indeed ahead of its time in many ways. In-spite of having Shah Rukh as the protagonist, the movie never entirely focused on him, but rather the struggles faced by the women in Indian hockey team. The very idea of giving importance to other sports apart from cricket in India was raised for the very first time in pop culture. Former goalkeeper and coach of Indian men’s national hockey team and women’s hockey team, late Mir Ranjan Negi, on whom SRK’s character was based, lauded the actor. He credited him for promoting Indian hockey among the masses.
While screenwriter Jaideep Sahni, director Shimit Amin and producer Aditya Chopra have a brave role in backing a film on a sport that was being neglected by the media, Shah Rukh once again proved he is a risk taker when it comes to artistry. The Jawan actor who did theatre under Barry John had Manoj Bajpayee among his batchmates. However, the former’s passion and hunger to become the biggest superstar in the world led him to a rather unconventional path. From doing a bold film like Maya Memsaab to negative roles in Darr, Anjaam and Baazigar, SRK went on to play the romantic love interest in many movies. However, his return as coach Kabir Khan in Chak De… earned him respect among both the masses and arthouse cinema lovers. Much before Karan Johar in My Name is Khan, Chak De… also raised the issue of minorities being accused of treachery and undergoing media trial and public humiliation. However, nowhere does the film try to side with any propaganda trying to create polarization through soft power. In fact, the movie rightly showcases how a female hockey player gets presurised by her in-laws and husband to quit her passion. The patriarchal mindset of society towards women’s success journey has been well depicted.
Shah Rukh comes out of his imaginary Rahul and Raj persona created by Yash Chopra and Karan Johar to play a real-life larger-than-life person who revolutionised Indian women’s hockey. In every frame you get to see the frustration, determination, dedication and commitment of Kabir Khan towards his country. For him, more than a personal failure or achievement, it is the nation’s pride that matters. SRK has imbibed the character which reflects in his eyes and dialogue delivery. The best part of the movie is that Sagaraika Ghatge, Vidya Malvade, Chitrashi Rawat, Shilpa Shuklaand others are given enough screen space not to get overshadowed by Shah Rukh. The actor also set a benchmark for his contemporaries in terms of working as a team with the co-actors, writers, director and other technicians involved in a film.
Cheers to the spirit of Indian sports on Shah Rukh Khan’s 58th birthday!
Good news! India.com is now on WhatsApp Channels. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news on entertainment and lifestyle. Click here!
For breaking news and live news updates, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Read more on Latest Entertainment News on India.com.
