Why I missed it earlier: There are some movies I wont watch Intentionally, but than somehow they will make me watch them, one of these movies was ’’Black’’ and the latest one of the same trend was ’’Iqbal’’. Thanks to Sony Max - I had to see it. Both of them had one thing in common that the Protagonist was Deaf and Dumb. In black it was even blind to add it up. My reason for not watching these movies was simple that one of my cousins happens to be a Deaf and Dumb. I know how tuff it is to live with them in a real life situation and those conditions. That makes me way too emotional.............. And hence I opt out.
Since it was coming on Television - I thought whats there, lets watch it - we always have remote in our hands to change the channel at any point of time.
==============================================================
There had to be huge expectations from this movie because of the banner (Subhash Ghai) and Minimal because of Nagesh Kukunoor (Director). Nagesh - everybody knows that - is the man behind the fantastic movies like: Hyderabad Blues, Rockford and Hyderabad Blues2. And it did worked out very well. As I remember it played for about 3-4 weeks in Hyderabad Multiplex.
I never imagined it to be so down to earth and yet a very meaningful movie. True to its core, showing what happens in the real life. In this cricket crazy country what best subject you can get than making a moving on Cricket. Although it has a very predictive story of a Deaf and Dumb youth from a very poor farming family, having a passion to play and be a hero of the game. His dad doesn’t like cricket at all. Mom and his lil sister are all support for him.
How he manages to play and learn cricket irrespective of the shortcomings. He is a Born Deaf and Dumb but that doesn’t make him dream anything less than a normal kid can do. All the spectators he has got are a couple of Coconut Trees and the Buffalos his dad has, his responsibility is to take them for a round of village every day so that they can eat the green grass around the village and Practice cricket (Bowling) while they watch his game. It’s funny to see that he had named them after the Greatest Indian Cricketers - Favorite being called ’’Kapil Dev’’.
All he does full time is carrying his back pack with 3 hand made stumps and an old worn off Leather Cricket ball. Practice Practice and More Practice is what he does all the time and that too bare feet as he can’t afford to have shoes. It’s like watching an Eklavya without a Dronacharya. Finally when he gets a teacher - Politics throws him out since nobody can take a dumb and deaf player performing better than they can. The Great Dronacharya comes in the shape of a Drunkard - Naseeruddin Shah - who himself never made it to the national side cause of the same politics and corruption involved in the game.
Now he takes it as a challenge that whatever comes - This kid is not going to suffer what he had suffered throughout his life. He trains Iqbal and finally Iqbal gets selected in the National Side after a lot of Hoopla and all and fulfills his dream.
Morale of the Story : Dream, Dream Big and do your best to achieve it. WHAT YOU SEEK IS WHAT YOU GET.
The movie has its own moments to laugh with it - to cheer and than finally shed a tear or two on the situations.
Performance: Although he had taken all the underrated actors but they have out performed even the best of the Industry. Moreover people who watch this movie with big expectations will not like it that much. As my wifey dear was watching it from the angle of ’’Black’’ and Rani Mukherji and later on commented that ’’it’s an ok movie’’. But than the Job done by ’’Shreyas Talpade’’ - Iqbal and ’’Naseeruddin Shah’’ - Mohit the Guru, was AWESOME. Kapil Dev does a Guest Appearance more than what you expect and looks really good onscreen.
It was good to know that the guy who played Iqbal’s dad recommended him to Nagesh for this role as Shreyas is a good Theatre Artist and he was a cricket player too. He had to work out 7 long days in front of Nagesh to bag the role.
Sister Act done by that little girl was adorable too. She basically played the part of ’’Voice of Iqbal’’ - and The way she had interpreted what he is saying and again to him - what the world is telling him was an outstanding task. Others also did their jobs well like the guy who did Iqbal’s Dads role and his mom too.
Since the movie is based out of an Indian Village there was not much scope of a perfect camera work or fundoo scenic shots, but the way they have captured Iqbal Practicing is something very good and makes for a fantastic watch. It’s as good as watching a live Match and than cheering at the end over a perfectly grafted victory.
Music is Fantastic : The title song ’’Aaashayein’’ If I am not wrong was a chart buster; it is one of the songs in my all time favorites now a days.
All in all - It is a highly recommended movie for those days when one feels down and broke, I am sure that this would cheer you up again and will make you go forward in life with a new zeal and inspiration.
If Iqbal can - you can too.
Ratings and Comments are more than welcome.