Rating: ***1/2
Shahrukh Khan has never been my favourite. Nor are his films the genre that I enjoy watching much. Nonetheless, once in a while, I see his face flash across the TV screen in an unexpected promo. Chak De India is one such example. When I first saw the trailer, I was taken aback with pleasnt surprise to see a promo that actually 'promo'ted the film it stood for. For once, I felt like watching a SRK movie in a theater. Swades was my last such experience. Two other factors propelled me to go for a dekko - the new faces in the cast of the movie and the director's name - Shimit Amin. Shimit had last directed Ek Hasina Thi - a very slick and well directed movie starring Urmila Matondakar and Saif Ali Khan. Fortunately, this time, I was not disappointed.
Chak De India delivers exactly what the promos project. A movie laden with the struggles of a team of underdogs in every which way and the journey of a sportsman during and after his prime. I have seen parallels being drawn with Miracle, Coach Carter, The Underdogs, and Music for the Soul. But inspite of the undeniable similarity in the basic plot, I would have to agree that the Indianization of the stroy is quite unique. And more importantly relevant in more contexts than one.
Of the few questions that stayed in my mind - Why in a country of 100 crore people can we not name even 100 splendid sportspersons? Why are women expected to make all the compromises in a relationship of supposed equals? Why are we Indians not so proud of being an Indian? What drives sports and how much commercialization, or rather Industrialization, of sports has happened worldwide? What are the factors that make us work as indivudals and not as a team? Is casting couch limited to the film industry only? What all can one do to satisfy one's ego? What is the meaning of disgrace and its connotations to the innocent? What can we achieve if only the neeyat is strong? And what are the other sports India likes to play besides cricket?
Besides connecting on a philosophical level, I accredit Shimit Amin for fabulous direction. Subtelty rides uncharacteristically high in most of sentimental moments of the movie, making is all the more realistic and life like. All the characters are well etched and given a perspective. And the ones that are left out from the foreground focus blend in well with the plot. No unnecessary minutes spent on detailing the background of all the girls in the movie and no sad sob story for SRK either (discounting the few minutes of backdrop that the director prepares for the viewer at the very onset of the movie)... No matkas and jtahkas, no song and dance sequences and no item numbers. All the music and singing is relegaed to admirably chosen moments and happens as a part of the narrative story telling. The entire enterprise stays focused around hockey, winning and playing for India. The movie is a befitting tribute to Indian independence on its sixtienth anniversary.
As far as screenplay and editing are concerned, I full give them full marks for maintaining the pace and ensuring that each character in the story gets his/her due share. I dont know the names of all the actors in the film, but every single one - Miss Chautala, Vidya, the Punjabi girl, even Soi Moi and Miss Naik looked the part, played the part and acted the part to perfection. SRK delivers one of those rare performances when you cease to think of him as SRK, a la Swades and Kabhi Haan Kabhi Na effect. Humor is infused via body language and dialogues, in situations and characterizations very naturally, and is characterized by its raw minimality that draws you into the plot. The movie does not make you cry, but makes you wonder. It does not make you jubiliate (for you know whats going to happen eventually is the fairy tale ending) but cherish the moments. It does not turn you patriotic but somewhat proud of your roots. It does not profess values but induces thoughts. It does not claim or compare hockey with cricket, but makes you want to follow hockey... supposedly the national sport of India.
Chak De India is by no stretch of imagination the best movie cinematically or otherwise. Neither is it a cult movie not it is overly imaginative. It does not fall under the category is a masterpiece and does npt boast of fancy locales and stunning visuals. But the fact is that the movie is so full of optimism, good faith and positiveness that I find it difficult to focus on those faults!
