When I first went to see this movie I entered the theatre thinking this must be another of those experimental movies by one of those heavy-headed NRIs. I remembered that the director was a female and that she was, lets say chubby...just being politically right. Anyway the point is I was going in to watch the movie with a lot of bias in my mind. Hey girls, pardon me, but at the end of it all I was a reformed male. I no longer carried any doubts regarding the abilities of the fairer but ...ummm, shall I say chubby females. Aha ...before you start snorting and grunting let me be honest with you. I was simply bowled over by the movie. To start with it is a movie about a game and movies dealing with games have failed miserably in India.(Of course there was Lagaan but that was one dragging piece of a movie...not at all good!) And to add to that involved a girl...and hey an Indian girl. Hello, I am not being an MCH but honestly how many of you girls over there can boast of having played football and smooched around with an Irish coach behind your parents. I am waiting ...tell me!
So thats what the story is basically about but apart from that the film stands out for other things. The issues have been cleverly and neatly potrayed through the lives of Parminder and her very British friend...I forget her name. As you sit through the movie you realise how similar the situations we face back at home are to that faced by the young out in England. Parminder’s mother wants her to cook Aloo Gobi instead of playing football and her friend’s mother misunderstands the relation between the two as homosexual in nature. The scenes have been deftly handled to seek relief from these serious and pertinent issues in a comic form. In the end she gets to play football and manages to convince her family about it too. It also explores Parminder’s relation with her coach and how the growing intimacy affects her friendship. Relations between the various characters are sensitively potrayed in various scenes.
On the down side some of the shots are downright tacky but hey she is not claiming to be Kurosawa! There is a kissing scene in the end but it seemed to be badly shot with them standing miles apart ...looks like director and her camera got in between. But criticising the movie for this would be like trying to pick nits!
Moreover the songs are interspersed in the right way and at the right time ...maybe many of them are not original but they are all close to our heart. And thats what matters. So fellas just stop wondering if you are reading anything sensible just go and buy or rent the CD or video and watch the movie. And as for you girls after the worldcup we can start with some football ...and yes I would love to be your coach!