I could almost sense the whole blogging initiative slowly petering out. Firstly, because I hadn't been really 'checking out' any new flicks, moreover, there wasn't anything worthwhile to yak about! But I think this Shahrukh starrer has brought me back to make another lazy dab at reviewing. So here's saying Hello to the blogosphere!
Chak De India! revolves around 'Kabir Khan' a disgraced hockey stalwart, who wants to win back his lost pride, by coaching the Women's Hockey Team, and bring the World Cup and reclaim his glory. That's the synopsis in a nutshell really. But ofcourse the movie deserves a more in-depth analysis.
First things first: Shahrukh Khan in a beard! It was rather refreshing to watch him in this different avataar, sans the trademark Shahrukh Charm. It's clearly an attempt to make a different kind of movie, and I could easily (and happily) concede that its a successful attempt at that!
The movie takes off with a Men's World Cup hockey final: India v/s Pakistan, captained by Shahrukh, which is in its dying moments, with India down 1-0. The captain, wins a penalty at the last minute, with a golden chance to level it and buy more time in the hunt. But as luck has it, he Misses! The Pakistanis erupt in jubilation, and the shell shocked Indians go down in 'Ooohs' and 'Aaahs'. In the meantime, Shahrukh is flimsily photographed with a rival team-mate giving a disappointed handshake, by a cameraman on field. What follows later in the night is an unfortunate scuffle with a media person as he heads off with his bunch of lads to board the team bus, because the ever so pesky news reporter raises questions about his fairplay and puts a question mark over his loyalty to the team.
The eccentric Sharukh pays a heavy price for that loss, for he is stripped off his position in the team, and is also wrongly accused of match fixing. Not to mention, he is harassed by the public, who make him a scape goat for the World Cup drubbing. All this flak, leaves a deep scar on Kabir, who, 7 years later, in an attempt to resurrect his career in hockey, returns to coach India's Women's Team, to the World Cup.
Oh but come on! Who takes Hockey so seriously in India? But lo' its a movie!
Not that his return ride is a smooth trip in any way. The Women's team is filled with players with bloated egos, petty differences, lack of unity, and no commitment whatsoever. Eccentric and tough that Shahrukh is shown to be, he regroups the unit, and prepares them for the tournament. His essayal of the role of a tough task master, was certainly different, compared to his chocolate looks and the lollipop romances that he usually ends up doing. He's come up with something on the lines of Swades in this one, and surely is a treat to watch. I couldn't help but notice his first real foray into method acting, á la Robert De Niro. One of the shots that really got me moved was when he went weak at the knees as Team India (women's hockey ofcourse), FINALLY lifted the World Cup after getting the better of Australia in the penalty shoot outs. (in the movie's climax)
This movie goes down to the wire. It's more interesting than the cricketing Lagaan, if I were to compare 'sporting' Hindi movies. It is also one of the better movies of the King Khan. Shahrukh stamps his class with élan. The semi scorn and the stigma that he attaches with the character, and the subtle details that actually take a while to sink in; he surely has raised the bar. This role pitches him amongst the Greats of celluloid history.
Rating: 9.5/10
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1 comment:
Saiprasad,
The Critique was well written. It outlines all the important points. About the movie, the actors role, how he was presented , and you link everything back to the movie, and to real life. Which i like. You've also looked outside the square, and pulled into your critique a comparison of other movies , which gives us readers a broader understanding of what it is you're trying to say.
Great work, keep it up!
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