The only relief during Jhoom Barabar Jhoom was "Chak De India's" trailor...Yeah this was a statement "i" made. With such huge expectations from the film, i return home smiling, humming "chak de...oh chak de India" & a new developed passion...for sports, Hockey.
The film talks against gender bias, criticizes regionalism, minority bashing, and of course patriotism...all in one. The director manages to portray it with a delicacy, nothing cliche.Yes the "Indian Womes's Hockey Team" does go the Lagaan way and notch the inconceivable victory, but it does it with a difference. Making the film a winner all the way. With its rag tag team members who come from nowhere. For any average looking, good actor like me this is an ideal movie for debue.
Coach Kabir Khan; balanced, there's no sequence when he's allowed his usual larger than life act, restrained, which in all ways makes the film all the more realistic & entertaining. Chakde's Kabir Khan truly remains one of Shah Rukh's finest performances (another Film Fare may be even a national award). The new look with a beard suits him.
Intentionally not sharing the story, when SRK gets a chance to coach the women's hockey team; his dream is to make it win the World Cup, an impossible feat. Because, in the first place, there is no team, just a bunch of girls who have come together with a baggage of class, region and interpersonal rivalries. The small town girls hate the uber snobs; the city-slickers think Jharkhand is a jungle, the seniors can't handle the juniors stealing the limelight and petty camps create a virtual gang-war which even builds into a mutiny against the disciplinarian coach. The only thing that brings them together is gender bias — something they all have faced at some point in their life, even we do. Great performances by a bunch of unknowns. A story very well written and treated. Like RDB i have no second thoughts in calling it a master-piece. Such films happen in a life-time and people associtaed with this are so lucky.
The only disappointment...i wasn't there, wish could have been there. Playing, Fighting and Winning for my country...in "reel" atleast.
Chak De India... Chak De Jaideep Sahni... Chak De Shimit Amin... Chak de "Yash Raj Films".
P.s: My favorites undoubtedly...Komal Chautala, Balbir Kaur, Preeti Sabharwal, Bindia Naik, Vidiya Sharma...all from the cast & crew you deserve a pat on your back. Good Job Done. A must watch for all Indians & Australian's.
":)" You'll come home with this.
