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United We Stand...

Rajiv Vijayakar

Team spirit is what his latest script, Chak De ! India, is all about, and that's what Jaideep Sahni roots for in his professional life. Screen profiles a writer who is going from strength to strength with every new release

"Making a film is a collaborative effort in more than just the practical or technical senses. We have to remain to support each other during the different stages of making a film. For example, if Aditya Chopra and Shimit Amin are there for me at the scripting level, it is Aditya and me for Shimit when he is shooting."

Right now, the young man with an IT background ("I was a nerdy computer engineer who became an IT consultant, moved on to advertising and then started writing") is onto his third script for Yash Raj Films after Bunty Aur Babli and Chak De! India in Madhuri Dixit's Aaja Nachle.

So what's Chak De! India's USP? Says Jaideep, "All I can say is that there have been so many films on sports, but this is the first full-fledged film with a ******* action-filled script that also has a lot of heart and emotions."

The spark for the completely fictional plot came from a newspaper report on the victory of a small-town women's hockey team. "The language used by the journalist made my heart swell with pride, but I could not help reflect that the space allotted to the news would have been five-fold if they had been a cricket team!"

Jaideep then went into research mode and came across amazing stories of triumph both in print as well as real life. Making a profound remark, he says, "I think that pure emotion is left only in our armed forces and in sports people, by which I mean the team spirit of forgetting everything for the flag, which is instilled in us from school. Every other area of life is corrupted today!"

A rough plotline had been worked out by Jaideep, which he sounded off casually to Aditya Chopra when the filmmaker asked him to ideate after Bunty Aur Babli. "When he heard my idea, he was as strongly motivated as I was. 'Leave everything and work on this subject!' he told me."
Jaideep recalls screening girls for the in-film hockey team for six long months across the country. "Adi and I were hooked on not going on the floors till everyone looked real. There are sequences where the girls had to be really good at hockey, and there were others that required strong acting."

The detailing did not end with the selection of actresses. "We put them on a gruelling schedule: from 4.30 a.m. to past noon they were in a hockey training camp. After lunch it was acting lessons, and after that, since the girls were chosen from all over the country, we had dialect coaching."
Jaideep's limited yet varied oeuvre has yet to include a flop films (Jungle, Company, Bunty Aur Babli, Khosla Ka Ghosla and lyrics for Salaam Namaste, Bluffmaster! and Bollywood/Hollywood besides Shubha Mudgal's Ab Ke Sawan and Euphoria's Phir Dhoom) and he has taken care to see that it is varied.

"I believe that the so-called commercial formula has been thrown out of the window largely by the audience," he says. "To make Khosla Ka Ghosla, which was based on the bad experiences of a close relative, I had to turn 'Creative Producer' with the backing of the producer and director. By conventional wisdom, it should not have survived at the box-office, but it was a major hit. The country has changed beyond belief since the last few years and as writers we have to be immersed in the change."

Because of this paradigm shift, Jaideep sees no contradiction in casting Shah Rukh Khan as the coach without any mainstream masala or even a heroine for him. "SRK is perhaps the only superstar who has done it all - street theatre, television, ads and all kinds of films," he points out. "Besides this experience, Shah Rukh brings in the full power of his personality, intensity and credibility besides style. And he was the captain of the Delhi Hansraj College hockey team and had represented it in various tournaments!"

Jaideep also sees no clash in starting out with the Ram Gopal Varma school and moving to Yash Raj. "You learn something in college and different lessons after stepping out. From Yash Raj I have especially learnt the art of being at one with the audience."

We move to Aaja Nachle, a film in which he has also written seven songs for the most musical actor of our times, Madhuri Dixit. How much was the pressure of doing justice to an icon's comeback film? "I think that it was more of a responsibility," he muses. "Once again, my back-up was amazing-Aditya Chopra, director Anil Mehta and my music directors Salim-Sulaiman. We have an ensemble cast that also includes Akshaye Khanna, Konkona Sen Sharma, Ranvir Shorey and Vinay Pathak, so we feel we are on to something special. Aaja Nachle is the fun-filled story of a woman's attachment to a town, and the bridge in their relationship is music and dance."

http://www.screenindia.com/fullstory.php?content_id=16739

Shah Rukh says Chak De India at The Oval

INDIATIMES CRICKET

NEW DELHI, Aug 9: Actor Shah Rukh Khan joined Sunil Gavaskar and Harsha Bhogle in the commentator box at The Oval during India's third and final Test against England. The actor is in London to promote Chak De India , which is being premiered there on Thursday evening.

Speaking to commentators on a sports channel he said, "This is a film about sports. There had been films on sports like Lagaan and others. I always wanted to do a film on sports, particularly on field and women hockey, much neglected in cinema."

Dressed in a typically English black striped suit without a tie Shah Rukh looked lean, tense and without a make-up. When asked why he was dressed in formals, he said "Cricket is a gentleman's game and everyone who has come to watch the game is dressed in formals. Which is why I thought I will wear a nice suit and a shirt."

On a lighter note, he said, "Even I have long hair like Dhoni but I can't keep it open since I am not playing but I have made a pony tail", he said turning his back towards the camera.

"I occasionally watch Rahul and Sachin and I have grown up watching Sunny Saab", he said. On his love for cricket and Indian cricketers he said, "I love being photographed with cricketers. Three months back I asked Tendulkar to have a picture with me. Sometime ago I asked Rahul for his autograph too."

Shah Rukh was buoyant when asked about his sporting lineage, "My father used to play hockey. I too enjoyed playing hockey. I used to carry my hockey stick on my back when I went to school. I used to try and play all sports. I kept running behind the ball all the time but never used to catch it", he said reminiscing of his earlier days.

"If there would be a cricket team for forty and above I would like to be part of that team", he said displaying his passion.

Coming back to Chak De India , he said, "I play the coach in the film. I have 16 girls around me playing hockey. It has no songs but only sporting capabilities. The film has no romance and no villain."

Shah Rukh Khan was brimming with energy and high spirits when he said, "I am a true true believer, I am a sportsman by nature. Sports is a genre not much accepted in India."

Shah Rukh Khan felt embarrassing during the shooting of Chak De India because he said" The girls were not even born at the time when I started acting. They later started calling Mr. Khan and then later coach and Shah Rukh", he said. He added, "There is a single shot in the film where the team is seen to be arriving abroad and departing the shores for India. It was quite boring."

Talking about the title track of the song, he said, "The song is nice. It doesn't matter if we lose. Come on India, buck up India Koi to chal zidd fariye doobe, kariye ya mariye haye..."

How do you feel as the crowned or uncrowned king or badshah of Bollwood?, asked Harsha. "I am working for so many years in the same profession. It feels good, better than being called a failure. All you need to do is to get up and bowl right, and get the shot right. I am very happy and thrilled but I do not take it seriously when people call me badshah or king."

"I am excited about Chak De India . I don't know whether it will do well but I am excited."

Shah Rukh not just likes hockey and cricket but also follows football. Manchester United is his kids' favourite, he said.

"We played cricket whole day. I was taken to the National Stadium. Mohinder Amarnath and Kapil Dev used to bowl to me. Gurucharan Singh used to beat me with the broomstick when I used to run and pick up the ball leaving my wicket-keeping position when I was in Columbus."

Why not Hollywood? Shah Rukh said, "I would love to sell my film in the UK and America. We have a great industry. We have great sporting teams. All youngsters will have to believe that they will have to play for the country they are born in and play world class."

Gavaskar seemed to believe in Shah Rukh's philosophy and belief in capitalism and playing to win the trophy.

He underlined, "It's not about winning the silver but losing the gold. Sometimes winning is everything. But it should be, winning everytime is everything."

Provocations like the jelly bean incident would be there but Indian cricketers should never lose sight of victory because "winning is everything", advises Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan.

Shah Rukh Khan will watch the big premiere of Chak De India on Thursday evening in London but without the 16 girls.

http://cricket.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2268865.cms

Ignore jellybeans incident, play to win: Shah Rukh

August 09, 2007 20:21 IST

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan was a surprise visitor at The Oval, on Day 1 of the third and final Test between India and England on Thursday.

He watched the morning session as India progressed well after electing to bat on a good track.

"I had great fun. All of them are playing well - Rahul [Dravid], [Wasim] Jaffer and Dinesh [Karthik], so I had a great time. I have never seen cricket from that point of view and angle [the commentary box], so it was great fun," he said.

"They [Team India] should win; everyone should try and win - whichever team plays well today and the next four days.

"I am a true sportsman, so I can't just say one country should win. Whichever country plays better should win. It would be most wonderful if India wins," he added.

In London for the premier of Chak De India, in which he plays a hockey coach, Shah Rukh said, "The film is about love for sport, so I hope it does well, because sporting films of this genre is very weak in India."

Earlier, the actor was in the Star Cricket commentary box at the ground and exhorted the Indian team not to get provoked by trifle matters, obviously referring to the jellybeans incident.

"I'm a believer in the saying that winning is everything. Do whatever it takes to win. But, at the same time, you are a sportsman and you have to be courteous and nice, jelleybeans notwithstanding," he said.

"For me, winning silver is losing the gold. But when I say all these things about winning, you also need to keep in mind that when you lose, it only means that your best was not better than the opponent's. I don't understand incidents like house burning or stone-pelting," he added.

Shah Rukh said he once faced Kapil Dev and Surinder Amarnath at the National stadium in Delhi and had "to wear my thigh pad on my chest as they bowled very fast".

He urged youngsters to take up sport.

"We may not be doing great in all sports but I think every youngster should think 'I'll play'," he said.

Describing himself as a "sportsperson at heart", he said, "If there is a team of over-40 players, I would love to be part of that team."

Text and video: Harish Kotian

http://inhome.rediff.com/cricket/2007/aug/09shahrukh.htm

Video: http://ishare.rediff.com/filevideo.php?trans_id=1&id=21762

'God has given me a second life' - Negi

Negi was blamed to have accepted a bribe to betray his country. For those who know Negi, the accusations were damning, slanderous and false

"It takes two minutes flat to fall in love with SRK," claims 49-year-old M R Negi, the former Indian hockey goalkeeper who trained the actor for over four months to play the role of a hockey coach in Chak De . The film has been inspired by Negi's life story, and SRK plays the role of hockey coach Kabir Khan who turns a bunch of untrained girls into a team that goes on to win the World Cup.

To Negi, this is one the way God is bringing justice to him finally. More than anyone, Negi will want to forget the Asian Games fiasco held 25 years ago when India were humbled 1-7 by Pakistan in the final. It was the allegations that hurt him badly. Negi was blamed to have accepted a bribe to betray his country. For those who know Negi, the accusations were damning, slanderous and false. And this sent him into a shell from which he found difficult to emerge.

But hard luck struck again. "Two years ago, I lost my 19-year-old son Abhiranjan. And the world came crashing down on my wife and me. On the terahvi (13th day ceremony) of my son, I was told about the Chak De script. Leave alone the film, even the idea of playing hockey again was completely out of my mind," says Negi.

Eventually, friends convinced him and he met filmmaker Aditya Chopra, SRK, and the movie shaped up. "Another interesting person I met recently was S M Masood, Chairman of City Limouzines India Ltd, who was not even remotely related with Indian hockey. Somehow, he met me and contributed over a crore for the women's hockey team and I insisted that he gives his contribution right into the players' hands."

Says Masood, "Nobody seemed to be bothered to take up the concern of our national sport. It took us some time to meet the right people who would help us make a difference. But finally, I'm happy that the contributions go directly to the players. Be it providing kits, training or aid in selection rounds, we will help. And it really isn't all about money, call this Indian passion." Masood's act got Negi to feel that people are willing to usher in a change in Indian hockey. "So why not me," asks Negi who is now working as a Customs officer.

Over the past two decades, Negi took solace in writing his biography Gloom To Glory that he intends to release soon. Meanwhile, Negi is starting Abhi Foundation in memory of his son, which will work towards the cause of hockey. "I've never asked for any help from anybody. But God seems to have saved the best for last," he says about Chak De

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bombay_Times/God_has_give n_me_a_second_life/articleshow/2268302.cms

Distributor to shun plexes, from Chak De... to Aaja Nachle

A STAFF REPORTER

Last summer, Kajol's comeback film did not make it to the multiplexes. This winter, Madhuri Dixit's comeback film could also give multiplexes the miss.

Aaja Nachle looks set to follow in the footsteps of Fanaa with the slugfest between the Yash Raj film distribution channel and INOX turning ugly over the release of Chak De India. With no solution in sight — probably till the end of the year — the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer releases at one out of four city plexes — Fame (Hiland Park) — on Friday.

"The demands put forth by the multiplex owners were unacceptable. They don't seem keen to release a movie which has patriotism and national integration, denying many the chance of watching it. I don't think we will deal with them for the rest of the year," said Pritam Jalan of Jalan Distributors, east India distributor of Chak De India.

Jalan distributes all Yash Raj films in the region and so the doors of INOX (Forum and City Centre) and 89 Cinemas could slam shut on the Puja release Laaga Chunari Mein Daag — with a strong Bong connection (director: Pradeep Sarkar; leading ladies: Rani Mukerji, Konkona Sensharma and Jaya Bachchan) — and winter biggie Aaja Nachle.

The exhibitors, too, have hardened their stand. "If we agree to the terms set by the Calcutta distributor of Chak De India, we will have to increase ticket prices drastically. We do not want to burden our patrons," said Saurabh Varma, vice-president, programming and distribution, INOX.

The Jalan versus INOX tug-of-war over films from the Yash Raj stable started with the Aamir-Kajol starrer Fanaa in May 2006 and continued through Ta Ra Rum Pum and Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, before claiming Chak De.

The biggest loser, of course, is the city cinegoer. "Delhi and Mumbai have so many multiplexes, whereas Calcutta has just four. And if three of those don't screen such high-profile films, then we have every right to feel cheated. We were planning to watch Chak De at INOX (Forum) this weekend, but now we will have to give the film a miss," grumbled Pinky Agarwal, a resident of Lord Sinha Road and a big fan of Shah Rukh Khan.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070810/asp/calcutta/story_817 2394.asp

Chak de India scores with UK fans

London: It wasn't the usual star-studded red carpet affair, but the premiere of Shah Rukh Khan's Chak de India was one of the highlights of the on-going India Now festival in London.

For the crowd at Somerset House, many of them from Germany, it turned out to be a memorable meeting with the star.

"He has charm. His movies are great, the best from Bollywood," said a German woman. Agreed another, "I like the visuals, the music and the emotions in his films."

Chak de India sees Shah Rukh play a muslim coach of a women's hockey team. Its about patriotism in the new age, and according to the star - about doing your best, and living your dream.

"It's wonderfully ironic that we are talking about Indian patriotism this in England. But patriotism doesn't mean we don't like other countries. We just say that our county is nice," the actor said.

He also shared his experience of making the film.

"You ask any guy in the world how it is to shoot with 16 girls - he won't say anything he'll just keep smiling," he quipped.

http://www.ibnlive.com/news/chak-de-india-scores-with-uk-fan s/46575-8.html

Video: http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/46575/chak-de-india-scores-wit h-uk-fans.html

Credits

Jeevi rating: 4/5
Punchline: sensible flick
Genre: Sports/Drama
Banner: Yash Raj Films
Cast: Shahrukh Khan, Vidya Malvade, Anjan Srivastava, Javed Khan, Vibha Chibbar, Nakul Vaid, Sagarika Ghatge, Chitrashi Rawat, Shilpa Shukla, Tanya Abrol, Anaitha Nair, Shubhi Mehta, Nisha Nair, Sandia Furtado, Arya Menon, Masochon V. Zimik, Kimi Laldawla, Kimberly Miranda, Nicola Sequeira, Raynia D'Souza, Mohit Chauhan, Joyoshree Arora, Vivaan Bhathena
Lyricist: Jaideep Sahni
Music: Salim Merchant & Sulaiman Merchant
Cinematography: Sudeep Chatterjee
Choreography: Ganesh Acharya
Art: Sukant Panigrahy
Editor: Amitabh Shukla
Story, Dialogue & Screenplay: Jaideep Sahni
Director: Shimit Amin
Producer: Aditya Chopra
Release date: 10 August 2007

Review

Story

Kabir Khan (Shahrukh Khan) is branded as a traitor after he loses the match against Pakistan in the capacity of the captain for Indian hockey team. Everybody hates him. After 7 years, he comes back as the coach for Indian women hockey team. The rest of the story is all about how he trains the 16 women of various states, different mindsets and attitudes to play as one and win the world cup.

Actors performances

Shahrukh Khan did the role of a brilliant coach whose respect is battered by the misconception and the media. He is exceptional as an inspiring and tough coach. The actor in Shahrukh dominates the star in this film. It is nice to see Shahrukh Khan doing purposeful films like Swadesh and Chak De India once in a while. The girls who played the women hockey team are exceptionally good. The girls who did the roles of Preeti, Balbir and Komal dominate the scene.

Story - Screenplay - direction: The story of the film is about a typical underdog winning the game. The aspect of coach seeking redemption by making his team win added lot of grip to the story. What makes this film different is extraordinary script writing and superb direction. Screenplay is just perfect. The entire film is realistic barring certain episodes demanding creative freedom. The writer avoided the board's politics aspect in the storyline, in order to focus on establishing each and every character of player well and then show how they change their attitude to become team players. The following scenes are defining moments of the film -

1. The McDonald's scene where the entire team shows team spirit by entering into a physical fight with the eve teasers.
2. The applause team gets after playing against the men's team
3. The phone call from Shukla.
4. Coach telling Preeti and Komal about how they can make or mar the match.

Other departments: Cinematography is amazing. Music is good. The background music is peppy and suits the theme. Dialogues are very good. Editing is nice. It is nice to see Yashraj Films producing a purposeful film like this instead of box-office winning inspired popcorn entertainers.

Analysis: The entire first half is concentrated on establishing all the characters in Hockey team and then inculcating the sense of belongingness among the team members. The second half is more entertaining with nice twists and engaging games. The plus points of the film are writing (Jaideep Sahni), performances (Shahrukh Khan), direction (Shimit Amin) and Cinematography (Sudeep Chatarjee). It is a sensible and a brilliant film with soul. On a whole, Chak De India (along with Lagaan and Iqbal) is one the best sports based films ever made in India. A must watch for everybody!!

http://idlebrain.com/mumbai/reviews/chakdeindia.html

Book review: 'King of Bollywood Shahrukh Khan and the Seductive World of Indian Cinema'

By Faridoon Shahryar, August 10, 2007 - 14:26 IST

Shahrukh Khan is the proverbial outsider who has made it Huge in the big and complex world of Hindi Films. In spite of being pitched against three generation of superstars he continues to lord over the Box Office. It was apt for Author/ Journalist Anupama Chopra to choose him as the pivotal character in her brilliant book King of Bollywood Shahrukh Khan and the Seductive World of Indian Cinema (Warner Books) where she chronicles the growth of Hindi Films industry (popularly known as Bollywood) from a disorganized murky business to corporate sophistication through the life and times of one of its biggest stars Shahrukh Khan.

The interesting part about this book is that it effortlessly meshes together the happenings in the film world with the socio-political and economic changes in the country. SRK has been presented as the symbol of a new modern India in the era of globalization that is hungry for success and yet remains glued to the ground realities of family-n-friendships. The class-divide, the cultural upheavals, the gradual shift from poverty to relative affluence has been wonderfully conjoined with the growth of SRK, the struggling actor who got a three scene obsolete role in Pradip Kishan's In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones, becomes nation's rage with his first TV serial Fauji, enters films and becomes the biggest draw at the ticket window.

Chopra in an uncharacteristic manner starts off with the story of Bhavesh Sheth, a portly spectacled fan who danced with SRK during the Temptations Tour in 2005 in US. Sheth's admiration and reverence for Khan symbolizes the global icon that Shahrukh Khan has become over the years. In a surprising move, after the first chapter Bollywood Dreams, the author traces the roots of this big superstar in the next chapter Peshawar: The Street of the Storytellers, to small gullies of Peshawar in Pakistan where his father Meer Taj Mohammad was born (ironically, Dilip Kumar and Prithviraj Kapoor belonged to Peshawar as well). Chopra with her riveting style binds the interest as Meer an upright freedom fighter makes a tumultuous journey from Pakistan to India after 1947 as the train of humanity burned on the pyre of hatred.

It is worthy of note that Shahrukh Khan's dad made a half hearted attempt in films (the father-son duo have an uncharacteristic similarity) and in a typical filmi style he pulled out his would-be wife Fatima Latif from an accident site and gave her his own blood. Here one must note that as you get engrossed in reading the book, you can notice that it moves almost like a film script as the visuals keep flashing. The writer has based her narrative on exhaustive interviews that she has conducted with Shahrukh Khan and lots of people related with him whom she has credited at the end.

The obvious question that one may ask is that, is it a biography? Well, yes and no. It is a biography because it tells the story of Shahrukh Khan from the times when he wasn't even born, till today. But then one realizes it is more than a biography. It is actually a comment on the varied changes in India and Bollywood (which it seems is the mirror that portrays the picture of change happening in the country). Like for example, the parallel between birth of SRK in 1965 in a lower middle class family and the humungous ascendance of Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s makes for gripping reading. For a couple of decades later both were pitched against each other as to who the bigger Don in the Hindi Films is.

The two biggest events that altered SRK are the untimely deaths of his parents at relatively young age. Chopra sensitively delves into the most horrendous times in the chapter Life after Death that proved as turning points in Khan's life. He had nothing left to do except hoping to make it big in the world of films. His love story with Gauri was another ordeal for it took a couple of years for the lady to accept his proposal. The author's details of Khan finding Gauri on the far flung Gorai Beach in Mumbai are straight out of a Hindi film. It makes for amorous reading though.

Several chapters in the book are spent on Shahrukh's transition from being a television star to a big movie star in spite of his unconventional looks and no filmi connections, how the second lead in Deewana and last choice roles of Baazigar and Darr made him a name to be reckoned with. But one knows most of this stuff as it is part of the folk lore. It's when Mobsters and Movies starts off on an ominous note of underworld ringing in havoc in the film world that you read on unabated. Once again the author details the circumstances that lead to the rise of underworld in Bollywood, the chills that Gulshan Kumar's cold blooded murder sent down the film fraternity and then SRK received his first call from Abu Salem, "Haan kya chal raha hai".

Khan had been warned by senior police officer Rakesh Maria that he is on the hit list of underworld and SRK was amongst the first few from the film industry to have been provided by police protection. The insecurity of the big star when faced with the looming underworld or when a new star in Hrithik Roshan is said to have usurped him has been poignantly presented by Chopra. In fact these passages are so engrossing that you can hear the soundtrack of life playing in your ears as the visuals dissolve from one to another.

There are times when you feel that Chopra is presenting things from SRK's angle but she also balances by objectively assessing his failures (especially the debacle called Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani) and the adverse feedback to the Pepsi ad that showed a Hrithik look-alike with braces being made fun of. In all, it's a well rounded package that entertains you with its zestful pace. The author obviously likes the Raj-Rahul phenomenon associated with Shahrukh Khan and it seems she is endorsing his point of view when she says, "In 2005 alone, he endorsed approximately 34 different products. Shah Rukh was the ubiquitous symbol and conduit of the new consumerist society."

Anupama Chopra's writing style is simple, informative, engrossing and at no point of time she tries hard to grab attention. It just flows. The only eye sore of the book is the attempt at translating some of the Hindi film names to English. How would you react when you'd see the following: Maine Pyaar Kiya (I Have Loved), Hum Aapke Hain Kyun (Who Am I To You?), Dil To Pagal Hai (The Heart is Crazy) and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (Something is Happening)? Lost in translation, isn't it!

One of the reasons that makes this book special is some rare pictures of Shahrukh's family, his TAG theatre days but the one that stands out is a twenty year old scrawny Shahrukh holding Gauri by her elbow. When you see this picture you realize it has really been a long road for this man from the by-lanes of Okhla in Delhi to the realization of his Mannat at Bandra Bandstand. The fairy tale continues….

King of Bollywood Shahrukh Khan and the Seductive World of Indian Cinema: A must buy for anyone who wants a better perspective on the workings of Hindi Films.

Star Rating: ****

http://indiafm.com/features/2007/08/10/2931/index.html

Star News Review(I missed the begining of the review but here it is)

In short, movie is brilliant and well-made. Srk performance is his best performance and srk has lived the character. You couldn not think any other actor than Srk. You won't even feel it's shahrukh khan but hockey coach Kabir Khan. One thing everyone had in mind, srk could do only lover guy type of roles but now srk will be recognised as Kabir Khan. He was superb. Yashraj banner has made a great movie after many years. Girls in Chak de surprises you, they all did a good job. No one ever thought Hockey theme would be made and in such a nice manner. After watching the movie, now we could hope women's and hockey team will get recognized. None every touched the Hockey sport, most of writers chose Cricket, which is very famous in India. Every Indian must watch the movie.

Audience Reaction was positive. When Team goal audience said Chak de and it was a very patriotic feeling. Some people had even tears and all cheered for the movie.

Rating 9/10

By Taran Adarsh, August 10, 2007 - 17:18 IST

The Yash Raj - SRK combo is back. No lush green fields here. No running around trees either. No chiffon sarees to make the ladies look their best. No melodrama, no parental opposition, no lovers defying their parents. CHAK DE INDIA, directed by Shmit Amin, charters a new territory.

Yash Raj is not really known to venture into unconventional lanes, barring a KABUL EXPRESS in the recent past. CHAK DE INDIA isn't unconventional as such, but it's definitely different and awe inspiring at times. Frankly speaking, CHAK DE INDIA doesn't boast of a path-breaking script, but execution of the subject material succeeds in making you find purpose and meaning and also arouses patriotic sentiments.

There's a flip side as well. Sports-based themes, barring a few, haven't really found many takers in India, especially with the aam junta. For various reasons. Sure, hockey is the national sport of India, but cricket gets more prominence in our dailies and also on news channels. The common man also keeps tabs on the Tendulkars and Dravids, when compared to those belonging to other sports. CHAK DE INDIA is about hockey, about women's hockey to be precise, but most of us haven't given more importance to this thrilling sport for no particular reason.

Also, from the business point of view, CHAK DE INDIA may be an engrossing fare, but not the ideal flick for an entertainment-seeking viewer. At best, it may attract attention initially thanks to the star power and the Numero Uno production house promoting it aggressively. But that's about it!

Kabir Khan [Shah Rukh Khan] knows what it's like to come back from the dead. The ex Indian Captain has now come back in the avatar of the Coach of the Indian Women's National Hockey team. A team that exists more on paper and less in reality.

The team is a bunch of girls with their own agenda. A bunch of girls who have forgotten what it is like to play for the love of the game. Of playing because you want glory for your country. Not because you want a pensioned job or a government flat. They have all forgotten the sharp thrill of just holding the hockey stick, keeping their eyes on the ball and playing for all they are worth. They have played every game but hockey to make sure they get selected every year in the Indian National team. But what does it really mean to play for the Indian National team? To play for India?

The girls have never known the thrilling energy of being Team India. Of giving their all to see their country's name on a trophy. But Kabir Khan, once a captain, now forgotten, does. He knows what it takes to get there. And what it means to return empty handed. This time, he wants to make sure that it's different. He knows there are no second chances. Despite his past, he believes that if only the girls played as one, anything would be possible.

Because Kabir Khan believes that it is not that we can't win. It's just that we have never believed we can.

CHAK DE INDIA is the story of a coach's fight of making his team, Team India by overcoming their diverse backgrounds, by learning to use everything that life hurls on them as a secret weapon.

The film has all the right elements mixed -- satirical comedy, seriousness and dollops of emotions. In fact, the first half is quite captivating and the expectations from the latter half are equally high. The post-interval portions don't disappoint, but the pace slackens and the goings-on take a long time to reach the finale. In fact, the narrative gathers steam only towards the climax, which is well handled.

Shimit Amin's choice of the subject as also the execution deserves to be lauded. But, as mentioned at the outset, it's not a film that would find universal patronage. People giving it a Thumbs Up would be limited to those who are into qualitative cinema.

Cinematography is first-rate. Music is strictly okay. Dialogues are interesting. A few lines are indeed amazing. Editing could've been tighter.

SRK is the soul of CHAK DE INDIA. What you see on screen would be half of what it is without this matchless actor. He makes you feel what you are supposed to feel. A performance that's sure to go down as one of his finest works so far. The girls are excellent and a few of them register a strong impact, especially Vidya Malvade.

On the whole, CHAK DE INDIA is a well-made product, but its fate at the ticket window wouldn't be as glorious as its intentions. With a slow start at places and not too exciting promotion [the promos], the film will face an uphill task in days to come.

2/5

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