With Bollywood keen on biopics on sports why not a film on a sport where we are number one, why not on MSD and his brave men? V GANGADHAR explores.
sports sells. Cricket sells more. Cricket movies do well. Cricket books are read Cricket biopics are bound to do well. ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’, though not on cricket was a hit movie. ‘Mary Kom’ delivers quite few knockout punches. Very soon ‘Dhyan Chand’ will dribble his way into the hearts of viewers, Leander Paes romances heroines hopefully upto the first round of tennis matches and then lose, Sania Mirza follows his example yet her films are a sell out because they are short and sweet like her tennis outfits.
The film on P T Usha could be made after a difficult chase, producers chasing Usha before finalizing the deal. If the current trends continued, we will have bio pics on Kabbadi stars, kho-kho champions, and gilli-danda stalwarts where ‘No Value’ film stars like Abhishek Bachchan will play heroes with family members like Big B, Ash B and Baby B essaying brief guest appearances.
Then comes the question, what about a biopic on cricket where, in the one-day version we are on top of the world? Though soccer caught the attention of the film world after the 2014 World Cup, it did not linger long because Indian soccer will not reach the top of the charts for another 1000 years. Bollywood and our ad industry cannot think that far ahead. But cricket is a safe bet despite the walloping we received from non-Asian teams on foreign surfaces which may be ignored because we can offer big money and save our faces. There are already rumours of a biopic on India’s successful cricket captain (except test cricket), M.S. Dhoni. Since the BCCI ordered that a Dhoni film can be made only after his retirement, there is enough time for the venture which impact international markets.
Much depends on casting for the success of a biopic .People who watched ‘Mary Kom’ now swear they could not visualize the film with anyone but Priyanka Chopra. Eyebrows were raised and financiers shivered in their shoes when Farhan Akthar was chosen to play Milkha Singh but once they watched him on the screen, the doubts cleared. It is admitted that Dhoni is a more complex character, a man of many moods and the casting had to be original and imaginative. Filmmakers should put their heads together and come out with a winning formula. The process has already started. Filmmakers, producers, screen writers and talent scouts in small groups are busy with the casting coup of the decade, a hero to portray M S Dhoni.
Being good in cricket would not be enough. MSD was more than that. Being from a small town Ranchi he had to be a blend of the rural and the urban, from the dhoti-kurta chokra of the village urchin to the Armani-suit dandy of Saville Row. This mixture of savagery and sophistication will be reflected in his game too. Dhoni will play the savage helicopter shot with as much felicity as Vijay Merchant’s late cut. Different hairstyles will suit him, from the long sanyasi locks to short, crew cut style, normal clipped hair and the Yankee crew cut. MSD had tried all these in his playing career and the actor chosen to play him must be able to do justice. He will have to do difficult scenes like the one where former Pak President General Musharraf congratulated him on his long hair.
Emotional scenes will be more difficult. MSD has the reputation of being a moody, not jumping around like mad when he took a catch or effected a stumping. The control over emotions makes us think of Dilip Kumar, our greatest thespian with a great love for cricket. The filmy Dhoni should spend some time with Dilip saab to learn control his emotions. Stunts, he can perform well. He has a military bearing. Film heroes in Hindi films always have one or two ‘chamchas’ like ‘Circkit’.
Dhoni has some keen chamchas in the Indian team, Jadeja and Raina who can handle the same roles in films too, Come to think of it, if Bollywood is unable to find an actor to play Dhoni’s role, why not allow Dhoni to play himself? The producers can save lot of money and dozens of costly motorbikes which Dhoni will certainly demand as his acting fee.
(V Gangadhar writes satire, a special form of humour.
Incidents and anecdotes in his column are
purely imaginary)
