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Chak De India : Jaideep Sahni disappoints this time !
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FAISAL (Kolkata, India)
Email :
faisal_k4 [at] yahoo.co.in
Chak De India : A Relook
I saw Chack De India on the first Sunday of its release. After the show ended I remember walking out of the theatre with no remarkable feelings. For me the film was as lifeless as the promos (which were withdrawn) promised. I did not think about Kabir Khan, nor did I think about the state of the national game, Hockey, in India, vis-à-vis cricket.
Not at all about the Vidya Malvade character (I don’t even remember the name.) I did not have any leftover feelings of being riveted to the screen, reveling in well-executed sports sequences. I remember having fleeting thoughts of Balbir and Komal because they played such endearing characters and they did it so well. I thought about Preety because she was quite pretty, but is that an achievement? But all this was before the Chak De! India or should I say the Yash Raj Films marketing juggernaut rolled on.
Over the next few weeks I was literally taken aback. Newspapers headlines screamed Chak De! at the drop of hat. TV presenters did the same. It was their on various websites. The Indian vocabulary seemed to have shrunk to two Punjabi words. It was dumbfounding, the movie was being presented as some kind of extraordinarily brave attempt at making good cinema, and somehow we were supposed to believe that it had contributed to everything, from women’s lib to the state of our national game hockey. I was at a loss! Didn’t we have ‘Iqbal‘ recently, or ‘Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar’ or ‘ Naya Daur’ in the past? And that’s only mentioning some Hindi films revolving around a game. Are only ‘apparently’ noble intentions, a huge star & production house, a handful of eager to please journalists/ film commentators enough to put a film on a pedestal? What happened to the good old parameters of substantial characters, a reasonably gripping and challenging, yet believingly executed story with some memorable set-pieces? A film that lingers in your mind for days afterwards, not because its all around you on newspapers, television channels and hoardings. Not because a bunch of the protagonists are being bundled to every city worth its salt, and being treated as if they actually achieved something as important as winning the world cup, for a country, which is starved of more substantial achievements.
And what is so noble about showing a bunch of losers, who play like novices and couldn’t care less for the game, because they were so lost in themselves, actually going on to win the world cup! ‘Shaolin Soccer’ was more convincing! Iqbal the deaf and dumb boy, who ate, drunk and slept cricket had me clapping when he got his chance in the Indian team. I felt like celebrating when Shankar (Dilip Kumar) pulled a breathless win with his tonga against an imported bus in ‘ Naya Daur’. And it was so very inspiring to see the ‘never do well’ Sanjay Lal (Aamir Khan) grow up and embrace his responsibilities by way of the central metaphor of the cycle race in ‘Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar’. I rooted and cheered for the rag-tag group of gritty villagers to achieve the fantastical goal of winning against the cruel Englishmen in ‘Lagaan‘. Win they did and what a victory that was!!! Achievements, not big enough, when compared to what team India in Chak De! managed to do, but more convincing and satisfying with a lot more substance. ‘Chak De! India’ simply had the team somehow winning the games against apparently much better teams because the filmmakers wanted it that way, in the first place,but did not want to take the pain of conceiving it well. So the Chak De! team just sailed past after that first loss!!! No sweat. No grit. Hell! even Rocky Balboa had to lose in the first film!
Coming to the basics. It was a sports film, so the least one could expect were some riveting sequences of the game. No such memories. I just remember Ms. Malvade falling down on her knees in the same irritating manner for umpteen numbers of times, letting the ball into the post and the team, just going on to win every game after one loss from the reigning champs who they ultimately beat. Don’t ask me how. Contrast this with the racing sequences in ‘Naya Daur’ or ‘Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar’. Littered with overwhelming challenges, which the protagonists face and overcome with a grit that’s palpable. They never fail to set the pulses racing and consider the fact that the former was made about 50 years back and the latter more than 15 years.
There were so many characters in the film; so much scope to come up with a rich piece of filmmaking but most of them were just given cursory glances. Think ‘Lagaan‘ and it’s huge cast where everyone came alive and most of them contributed in some way or other. ‘Kachra’ was much more than his freaky ‘firkee’ (spinning ball). Quite unlike the tribal girl in ‘ Chak De!’ who was not allowed to go beyond saying ho!!! Or the north easterners who were limited to one scene were they are eve teased and a fight ensues. Bindiya Naik’s character/ Shilpa Shukla’s talent was criminally underutilised. And pray on what ground the coach picked up Vidya Malvade as the captain, when he had got better players? Perhaps they didn’t suit his ego. The relationship between Vidya and Shahrukh seems to be just thrust in the script because it serves a sports film cliché. Same goes for the air-headed cricketer sub-plot. Am not against clichés, but the least one could expect from them is to have some logic/ believability and provide resonance to the story. There were clichés galore in Lagaan but they gave the story so much more depth because the writers had worked hard. Even the highly improbable love story of Rachel and Bhuvan in Lagaan was quite touching.
Coming to Lagaan, its been quite a few years since I saw it on its release. But I still fondly remember Bhuvan, Rachel, Kachra, Guran, Bhura, Lakha among others…Its been only a few weeks since I saw Chak De! and I only recognize a couple of the girls who hogged the screen time and because there faces are plastered everywhere. Shahrukh comes to my mind because he is always out there. Contrast his Kabir Khan with Naseer’s character Mohit in Iqbal, both are patent sports films clichés- washed out, disgraced individuals who come back for their dues. Mohit is a darker character than Kabir Khan- he is the reluctant embittered coach, a drunkard and a complete loser. But he grows with the film. On the other hand Kabir Khan is a lifeless card board cut with an air of self importance. He quotes so much about India [IN-DEE-YAAH ;-)] that if he really existed I would have serious doubts on his feelings for the country as well as his sanity.
I am a big fan of Jaideep Sahni; ‘Khosla ka Ghosla’ is a movie which is in my personal list of all time great movies. But Mr. Sahni disappointed me big time with Chak De! He may have his reasons. But at the end of the day Chak De! India is an assembly line product at heart, an example of passionless by-the-numbers filmmaking. And celeberating Chak De! Is celebrating mediocrity.
38 Responses to “Chak De India : Jaideep Sahni disappoints this time !”
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[...] PassionForCinema created an interesting post today on Chak De India : Jaideep Sahni disappoints this time !Here’s a short outline [...]
Completely agree Faisal. Isnt Shimit Amin of the American “assembly line” school ?
But, “Khosla ka Ghosla”,… why is that your favourite ?
@Faisal,
Different POV on CDI. Quite agree on many points.
Cant it be possible that Jaideep’s script is not handled properly in the same format as he had given. Its said that he had written far more effective script for Bunty and Bubly. CDI’s weaknesses are from director’s side also, meaning he did not succeed in bringing excitement of a sport film through the way he executed his scenes. Even in 1970 film maker and cameraman had fixed camera on the hockey sticks while filming shots of Ice Hockey in Love Story (1970) and thats why game scenes were so good and CDI is 2007 release but hockey scenes were not effective.
This can be a big disappointment because YRF has enough money to make an effective film where things look convincing and though SRK himself has been quite active hockey player during his college days but somehow this factor does not provide any value addition of his playing the role of Kabir Khan, the coach of national women hockey team and former goalkeeper of national men hockey team.
Surely there can be lackings in giving enough coverage to each girl character because they were too many in number but personally biggest drawback of the film looks a forced decision to create a character Kabir Khan and advertising the concept based on former goal keeper Mr Negi.
Sorry but this seems to be quite immature and foolish to create such a muslim character just to propagate personal views of either director or writer.
Many muslim players have been playing in national hocky team since 100 years and this thing has never happened. Why censor allows such disputed angles is another disputed thing. Why a film inspired by life of Mr Negi cant have a character based on him? Why to make it a film based on slogan based politics?
This is good that everything went smoothly but director/writer’s extra enthusiasm could have resulted in fiery opposition by vested interest present in society. They look for such things.
Sailm Durrani, Kirmani, Azhar or recently Zaheer Khan or Mohd Kaif or Irfan Pathan and many other muslim players have been playing in Indian cricket team, any of them have been humiliated whenever team is defeated by Pakistan team by accusing them that they fixed the match with Pakistan because they are muslims?
in Hockey also Mohd Shahid, Zafar Iqbal etc have been quite darling player of Indian hockey team and many team team has been defeated by Pakistan team.
This angle is bullshit and its good that film escaped without raising any objection though it was a foolish attempt. Film could have been quite (or may be more) good if SRK’s character was a hindu as it was in real life also.
Why Shamit Amin+ Jaideep Sahni pair thought that they can solve a big problem of society by such a film is beyond comprehension and perhaps will always remain.
Apart from usual shortcomings of the film, this angle pinches more.
There is no doubt that Khosla Ka Ghosla is an excellent movie and one of my favourites too. I also agree that characterization in Chak De was not worked upon well and all the points raised are true and valid. What I don’t agree is that Yashraj juggernaut’s marketing made it succesful and it can not otherwise Jhoom barabar Jhoom and Laaga Chunri… would not have met the fate they did at the box office. With Chak De, some thing has gone well with the audience which gave it a good opening. Of course, a good opening was then followed up with good marketing and clever publicity that played the role in making it a bigger success. But definitely there were some good things in the script that clicked well with the audience. Be it dialogues or some (Not all) well written scenes. Some times, the movie may not appear good when analyzed in pieces but in the whole it gives a different feel. I think thats what happened with Chak De.
@ RK
Completely Agree ! Mr Sahni should be given a clean chit.
@Gajendra,
Film’s BO success can be affected by many things. Sometimes its timing, sometimes its demand of lead actor/s. Many who simply HATE Yash Raj films and SRK films were praising it because of association of Jaideep Sahni and Shimit Amin with the film. so a whole lot of critics were balanced this way. and regular fans of SRK are always there.
If we see pattern of critics of YRF then we can find that they start praising any film released or produced by YRF which does not belong to their big budgeted regular films. Many perhaps want that YRF makes different kind of films.
This is a proven fact that not always good films work with people. Many other factors are also associated with the fate of film/s. Temporarily any film can get BO success or failure. It does not set the longevity of these films.
In fact, I had commented on Jaideep Sahni and his style of writing in one of the articles. Let me repeat…I don’t see anything extra-ordinary as Anurag Kashyap says….
Gimme a mega banner and super duper stars and I will churn out such mindless trash and they will become super shits…I mean super hits too….
Khosla Ka Ghosla…One more movie where Audience ko chutiya banate hain…I was speaking to a hardcore builder from Delhi…He said that movie was pure fantasy….
Okay…People getting conned…He said it’s common….But a builder who himself cons people, the way they showed it is very amateurish and stupid it seems.
Any builder, before buying any land, goes to the Municipal department, takes out the records, all the history of that land before giving anyone hard cash of 50 lakhs…I am sure Boman would have known this basic fact….The plot was made very convenient by and for the writer. Logic went for a toss.
Chak De….Yaar…I can name 1000 sports movies which follow the same pattern…I told you na…We Indians used to super shit find any okay shit great shit. Shit happens!
Bunty Aur Babli? Yaar…Why give credit to writing? It was a proposal movie…Yashraj pictures, Abhishek, Rani and Amitabh, throw in Aishwarya Rai as an item song and as luck would have it, becomes the smashing hit song of the decade…
Jab “gand” pe til hoti hain na, chutiya bhi maharaja ban jaata hain….(Sorry had to name the other side)
Film industry connextions hain boss connexions…Talent gaya maa chudane…It runs on your Old buddy network….Your success depends on how fast you make friends and drinking partners and how influential they are….Bol bachchan hain? Toh success hain!
just watched it for the first time last night, and was sorely disappointed.. completely agree with this review, especially its comparison of CDI vs. lagaan and JJWS.. those movies had so much heart. lagaan is a movie i can never get tired of watching despite its running length.. now there’s a movie with a big budget, big banner, and a big star, all being used so much in tandem with each other. even with all those factors, the script shone through, and that’s the power of that flm! JJWS is easily in my top 10 [sports] films of all time for very valid reasons. CDI was hype at best, but it showed how good india is at jumping on the bandwagon, bc guess what the media was splashing across newspapers and TV channels when india won the T20 and SRK was in the crowds? “chak de” and its theme songs. some even credited SRK and the film for india’s victory! could it get any worse?
@Machchar Ji,
KKG seems to be part of Jaideep’s vast script dealing with con game and it can be one of the chapter of that vast script and B&B can be second chapter.
KKG’s execution makes it interesting film. In all the Thagi based films, its not necessary that thagi will look extremely real but execution of scenes matter (Mr Natwarlal). If scenes are able to bind the audience and bring them joy or pleasure of watching then only few can care that it can happen or not.
Once mood of the film is set and people are attracted towards it then everything works. KKG works not because of story but apt performances. Topic matches to some extent with audience’s real life incidences. Real estate brokers dont carry a good impression among people. Moreover land mafia or property dealers are few in numbers but common men are large in number who have to suffer from cunning ways of these real estate agents.
People find them too cunning and in many areas of India they represent Mafias and Boman Irani’s performance represent that con face of land mafia in perfect order. Anupam Kher was after a long time in a role where he could show his worth as an actor.
Then film touched few new changes in the lives of people because of software crowd going abroad and leaving family behind. Ranveer Shauri represented a character who can be easily found in every third home. These things make film interesting. Rest people dont mind seeing fiction if its plesant rather people like fiction more than reality based stories. Film was touching issues affecting daily lives of people and hence it was a good attempt and it brought entertainment so it was a bonus. KKG cant be sidelined so easily. One needs something very powerful to deny its effect.
Well!!!!!!!! i think d past was totally useless, it was a baseless critism well why cant ppl like u can c so many positives in d movie rather den seeing its negatives, comparisons to iqbal is totally baseless apart frm both being sport film dere was no other similarity, well agreed nasir’s character was totally dark and grows with d film bt it failed to create d impact sharukh had in so many scence, i guess d post was posted to bash a move which came frm YRF, highly stupid post one shud nt come up with problems bt with solutions which shud b comviencing. please dis is passion for cinema not yash raj bashing site!!!!!!!
:-w
HELLO! IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE WHO WELL HELP ME TO GET A GOOD QUALITY DVD OF PULP FICTION! I HAVE READ THE SCREENPLAY 3 TIMES PROMOTED THE MOVIE ZILLION TIMES BUT HAVE A SONY DVD PLAYER WHICH ONLY PLAYS REGION9 DVDS AND ORIGINAL ONES.IF ANYONE COULD HELP PLZ LEAVE A NOTE IN RESPONSE!
Iqbal lovers should watch Robert Redford’s “The Legend of Bagger Vance” starring Matt Demon, Will Smith and Charlize Theron.
@RK… Agreed with your reply to me and Machhar. I liked KKG excatly for the reasons you quoted. Every scene in KKG conveys and represent much more than what is shown in the scenes itself.
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Sorry for the spam, but couldn’t think of a better audience to give tips on this. Sorry again.
[...] PFC [...]
This is one of the most ideotic posts I have ever read. If marketing is the sole criterion for deciding a film’s success, then a dud like Saawariya would have taken India by storm.
Chak de India got off to a very poor opening like all other Yash Raj film then blazed off on word of mouth to become the biggest hit of the year.
The author of this post would say that this word of mouth must be the doing of Chak De marketing team. They must have put eveil thoughts in the minds of people.
Try explaining your thoughts to people like Mukesh Ambani who was inspired by it, or Rahul Gandhi who has organized a special screening for underpriveliged children, or the Ludhiana hockey industry where sale of hockey sticks post Chak de has risen by 20 %.
Chak de is a success on many levels and if you still don’t get it you never will.
heyyyy donjasjit, completely agree with u
Atlast…all these days, i was under the impression tht i was the only person who didnt like CDI.People around me said I was insane not to like such a movie.
Just like u had mentioned in the beginning, I never felt motivated nor did i feel patriotic at the end of the movie.It was like watching a sports movie with a lot of Bollywood masalas.Take for instance, the ‘Ghaddar’ which remains on the wall just like how it was 7 years ago and when they win a match, a small kid who according to basic logic wud have had no idea of wht is going around him at tht age of his.
I was even more infuriated when the ‘camps’ wanted to sent CDI for oscars.I agree Ekalavya was crap, but CDI was also not a better choice for oscars.And to say performance wise, Shah Rukh kept quiet all the time in the movie, possibly a couple of grunts and hisses here and there.Is that what they call acting? and now i come to know that he has won the Shantaram Award too.Havent they seen Akshay Khanna ‘act’in Gandhi;My father???
Gawd! the film industry…its jus politics here too…I hope someone makes a movie on these politics and camps in Bollywood!!!!
all the ppl born and brought up on american sports movies.stop sniggering and go watch the comebacks.. its for ppl like u.
talking of NE girls having underdeveloped roles..well for a start they have some roles..have u ever seen ANY hindi mainstream movie which has girls from NE(who we dont mind ridiculing in daily life as “Chinkis”)in leading roles?? and the girls were real life players and probably not very good actors.why trouble them with acting.they did what they were hired for.
I agree that its not a great sports movie but thats more to do with SK on board.. he has to do every thing over the top but also any other actor and maybe it wont have been such a big hit.
YRF infact treated the movie as their bastard child..almost no pre release publicity..the movie picked up collections from the third fourth day..only later their PR wagon picked up.
@ praneet..even the characters of the girls werent etched properly..and thats the major disappointment of CDI…if u had noticed, each character in Lagaan had its own significance…but in CDI, only the good looking girls got a meaty role..the others were simply sidelined..but i believe, in the dvd version, there are certain deleted scenes of the others too…y this hypocricy?
Agreed Faisal, you echoed my sentiments here..!! Thank you..I still argue with my friends that CDI is not that great as its made out to be. May be I should ask them to read this :):)
Its ok to like or dislike any work. Everyone has a different taste but dont give lame and stupid reasons for the film you dislike becoming a hit.
You could just simply say that you didnt like the film and cant understand why it became a rage.
Because by reading the reasons you’ve given above gives this impression that you seriously didnt understand why it worked.
Exactly the way I can never understand why films like bunty aur pagli and kaho na bore hai worked.
And above all you have been repeating through out that you dont remember anything from the film and side by side you are also endlessly mentioning so many characters and moments from it, that makes your post even more contradictory and unreliable.
And heres an attempt to answer just one of the several vague and not specific questions and doubts you’ve raised.
Kabir chose Vidya as captain because she is level headed and mature unlike others who’re flamboyant or indisciplined. He didnt choose her because her tempratment suited him. I wonder how could you read such a strange thing there when it was so obvious.
As for rest of your questions, doubts or whatever. I dont remember them.
Faisal, great review. I feel the same way about Chak De India. Sadly, it’s totally overrated and hyped because it’s a SRK movie.
Of all the long comments, I read only Machhar’s. And now I don’t feel like reading others’. Btw, I agree wd everything that u’ve said, Machhar.
ha ha ha Machchar babu, lagta hai film industry ne aapki kaafee li hai… but never mind aapka bhi number aayega. aapke naam main bhi bCHCHan ki tarah hi CHCH hai.
rahee baat article ki tho bhaiya faisal bhaai kalkatte waale eak film banane main khoon paseena lag jata hai, aur uski cheer faad karne main sirf INK lagtee hai.
to have a movie where you have fifteen girls to be highlighted, if each role was given extreme importance, then it is very obvious that the movie wud be 15hrs long…as far KKG is concerned, it is a different kinda movie all together, in no way can you compare a sports film to that. It’s very silly to expect anything more out of a sports film. what did you want?? the team to loose? would that make it different. they were only trying to give a build up, which according to me was very decent. how many noticed Shilpa( Bindiya Naik in chak de) in Khamosh Panior or hazaron khwaishein aisi, but ya she is a great performer and her talent was given all the importance in the movie.
Shah Rukh Khan, I might agree if you say he overacts, may be he does, but chak de?? For once I’m sure that this was one of his best performances. He tried to be as subtle yet powerful as hockey coach would be.
I think jaideep sahni rocks! His style of screenplay is very neat and precise and apt…It might not be the best sports film, but ya. it was definitely one of the best this year.
Would you guys have felt the same way towards CDI if it didn’t have Shah Rukh in it and was not produced under the YRF banner? Not an accusation, just a thought about reverse psychology
Sir Goverdhan “Color of your ass” bhai….
Film Industry sabki leti hain…Tikne waale bahut kam hain….In spite of all the hurdles, I can proudly say I’ve stayed put and doing well (*touch wood*)….
My rants were not as a frustrated man, I am quite busy with three projects on hand… but rather as an angry man at how things are working. I feel sad to see there is so much talent around….I meet brilliant people with brilliant skills, but none of them are getting the chance they deserve…What do they need? Just access to these big wigs and a kind ear. Why get just limited to your clique?
And don’t tell us how movies are made…We know much better than many of you….
All I am saying is, Cinema was always seen as an art form, not business….Even an MF Hussain painting sells for crores….He did not have to resort to painting cheap erotica to make a quick buck?
Why don’t they make good movies? Money will definitely follow..Only if they have patience? Why just promote a few stars and create this huge void in this industry? Why not let everyone live? The Yashraj Mafia is crumbling many people’s careers.
@Adesh(22)
This is quite amusing comment you have made Adesh.
Wish you could have written a post in favour of the CDI instead of questioning the right of any author to express his views.
Your comment is funny also. You allege him for something you are doing yourself. Is not it contradiction man?
You did not like the post but commenting. You cant remember what author is wishing to say (though it was not like film viewing where one has to see it again, you could have scrolled up again to read whatever you could not recall, it takes few seconds). He is writing on the basis of his first viewing which he did at the time when film was released.
Did not you write “Moan Shanti Moan” post then why this kind of comment?
Sorry, these things dont walk on same path. Contradiction is here (also?):(
Thanks RK :)….So many comments…a lot of them enlightening and some amusing. Thanks folks. Just wanted to make some things clear
1. I am an SRK fan since his fauji days and make it a point to watch all his movies.
2. I don’t have anything against YRF, KJo school of film making. I loved Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and several old and few recent Yash Raj movies. In fact my earlier post in PFC was somewhat in favour of Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna. I was just judging Chak De! like any other film. Nothing premeditated about it. Just honest opinion based on my viewing and limited experience.
This is for Angita Thomas- please check out Lagaan which had more characters than Chak De! but didn’t need to be 15 hours long to make them alive for the viewers. Chak De! could have certainly done better than giving prominence to a couple of girls.
I never said Chak De! was shit. It’s a mediocre film. Which has been made out to be much more than what it is.
RK I am not questioning the right of opinion but the basis of criticism of the author.
I personally enjoyed saawariya but I have read endless negative reviews of it too and I found some of them quite ok because at the end of the day when it comes to films, everyone has a very subjective opinion.
but the comments made here, like Kabir chose Vidya as the captain because her temprament suited him is ridiculous.
Or a comment like the films was a hit because of publicity, handful of ready to please journalists, and a huge star. I find all that stupid.
Because if you go by that statement then instead of kaho na pyar hai, mela(which released a week before knph) and phir bhi dil hai hindustani (which released a week later) should have been hits.
its not mathematics where you can crack a formula so simply that why certain films work and why some dont. You cant generalize things and to top it, give so obviously banal reasons.
Didn’t work for me either. I would prefer an Apne which was rooted, to say the least.
i feel very sorry 4 u dat u dint enjoy d movie… m very sorrrrrrrrryyyyy…. i know so many ppl who ve seen dis movie like 2-3 times.. i personally loveeeeeeeeeeed dis movie… n y compare movies.. laggan wazz special, no 2 ways bout it.. m not sayin chak de deserves an oscar.. according 2 me dis too is usual yrf masala entertainer.. difference izz in d content.. its jst dat its not a love story but a sports film.. its 1 of those sports film which we watch in hollywood movies so often.. certain things were cliche, heyy but d fact izz ppl loved d movie not coz d papers r sayin it but coz they actually loveeeeeeeeeeed it… u knw dere r times wen dis critics n newspapers appreciate mediocre movies toooooooooo much but ppl dont like it.. so dont say ppl liked it coz newspapers r sayin dat… u ve 2 b a fool 2 believe dat… look dere is an audience 4 all kinda moviez as far as they r good moviez, whether they r love stories, dark films, comedies, sports film, anything…. n if ppl ve liked it its only bcoz its a film which has tched every1’s heart.. if it has not tched ur heart i feel sorry 4 u…btw since u ve compared moviez here… lemme tell u afta laggan its only 2nd time dat i ve seen theatre halls becomin stadiums… m not sayin its betta den lagaan.. but it has tched every1’s heart…that izz all matters….
Its good to know that some people feel the same way about Chak De as I do. I thought that the movie was not convincing. How can a girl who is supposed to be the best in her state mouth a dialogue like ho… you become the best in your state by playing with so many people and learning about the game in english and not sanskrit or bhojpuri and the way the win the matches in the end was very unconvincing have so much to write but not much time I request the critics and audience to not praise an average movie to be one of the greatest films ever made on indian celluloid… Thanks…
@Adesh (31),
Hit is not always good. You may be agree with this because this is this space where “film Reviewers” or better say “film analysts” get the scope to anaylse a film. Does CDI carry cinema even 1 cm ahead, in any department? Be it content, dialogues, scenes, charactreization or overall presentation? If author has said it as assembly line product then he is quite right in this similie. Many things prevailing in so many areas are assembled together.
Few genuinely Intelligent people had described Swades as a preachy film because that opts NGO approach. CDI is far more preachy film.
As I read and as I get out of this article, Author is not fighting with the thought that why film got a hit but he shows his disappointment with this hit film that its not that good product as many other films having sports in background were.
Nobody can say exactly why a film worked or could not work.
But then PFC is not audience opinion. Its to discuss about film and discussion can be about positive things present in the film and negative things present in the film.
(1)Vidya - I think name was Vidya Sharma in the film. Can you or anyone say/reveal any better clue why Kabir Khan selects Vidya as captain of his team? In the very first encounter between Kabir and 16 girls Vidya was the first who understood what Kabir wished to listen when he asks them to give their introduction. He asks first 3-4 girls to stand little away because they say they are so and so playing for their respective state. Kabir had clearly mentioned before that he is concentrating on Indian team.
Vidya sees it and says she is Vidya Sharma and reprsents India. So she certainly sees the temperament of Kabir. She is goalkeeper and during the practice no where there is a clue that Kabir could have known the playing skill of Vidya. She has to defend the attack of opponents. But her accomodating nature was the basis for Kabir to select her. Kabir had seen that most of others were quite immature because they were busy in fighting with each other. Everybody was intrested in self promotion and even giving pass to others to do a goal was not agreed to players playing in forward area. Kabir had seen arrogant attitude of Bindiya Nayak (or Naik) and he had seen that she does not like him to say her any dictating terms. So he chosed Vidya on the basis of these things and not on the basis of game skill. Though later we can see Vidya also joined group of dissidents and she gave letter to Kabir that they dont wish to play as long as Kabir remains the coach. So film never shows Vidya had her own stand in this war between Kabir’s efforts to unite the team and Bindiya’s frustrated efforts to satisfy her own ego.
(2) What Hockey players used to earn in the past?
Kabir Khan had to leave the game, he is shown to live in small house but see his clothes, goggles. Just because Director did not ask him (SRK) to act as he acts in his other films, becomes basis for many people to shout that SRK has acted in a restrained manner? Whats restrained here if a character cant be given proper dresses and attitude which matches with the story? Director simply exploited name of SRK to promote his film. SRK has been far more genuine in films like Duplicate, PBDHH etc where he does what is required to exhibit such characters. Anjan Srivastava played far more genuinely the Ideot but powerful and cunning sport authority. If SRK continues to act more in the way he has acted in this film than no doubt he will come down on earth. When a director is unable to bring an actor in the skin of character then over the top, restrained etc etc words start coming in to the picture. “Not to act” and simply say the dialogues is not good acting. Dramatic ways can be good if they enhance the impact of the scenes. SRK is misled in the film and hence misused. His name and fame has been used to promote the film but his acting skills are underutilized in this film.
Dialogues say he lived 7 years (some months few days few hours and some seconds to be precise)in oblivion but no scene is kept to show his wriggleness. Very easily he is termed as traitor or whatever. Before that intensity is lost in the entire scene where he misses the goal. Director handled the entire scene in so casual manner. It was better to say it through a voice over if he was unable to bring the pain of a player because of whose mistake his team has lost the game. Has director ever seen a player breaking down on ground after such a debacle? He must have been quite adult when he might have seen Vinod Kambli crying on the ground of Eden Garden.
Karan Johar was more successful in showing happiness and excitement of a player when he does the final goal (KANK’ introductory scene). Here Kabir Khan loses against the team of Pakistan and almost every person who has eyes can see what kind of excitement used to be there whenever India and Pakistan played against each other be it Hockey or Cricket. This is just an example and film lacks in capturing intensity whenever intese scenes are there.
Often dialogues are given more emphasis and camera travels somewhereelse.
When Kabir Khan says to higher sports authorities that there should a match between men and women team and he comes back to dressing room of players then director’s camera loses opportunity to capture intense moments as these things demand close up shots and either he knew he have not got actors but a crowd so he had to take shots from a distance. When Kabir is pulling up soxes of a player and he is delivering the quite impressive dialogues so that his players feel zest inside to show their worth then not a single time camera capturtes face of any woman player to show the impact on them and it remains at the level of their waistline only. What a restrained behaviour of cameraman :)
(3) Anyone knows name of any coach of Indian Hockey team (men or women). Coach of 1980 Moscow olympic’s Gold medal winner team ?
as Cricket is continuously compared with Hockey in the film so it can be feasible to ask ourselves:
Do we even know name of coach of Indian cricket team who won world cup in 1983?
And commentator (speaking in Hindi from Melbourn) was shown to emphasise not on players who were playing the game but more on coach as if coach was playing. Kabir Khan’s team? Do we know today who is coach of men and women hockey teams of India?
(4) Why that stupid comparison between cricket and hockey through the character of cricketer Abhimanyu Singh? People might not be feeling same interest in Hockey anymore but hardly anyone will use those kind of dialogues which Abhimanyu uses before Preeti Sabbarwal. National team is national team and its not less achievement. Even people will not use that language for players of Kho Kho team. Since years it has been established that sports can be good medium to make good career.
These things are assembly lined production. Just to bring effect things have been included in the script. They dont have justified basis.
Why its slogan based film?
Because it has not got any solid backing from the script and scenes are kept to play with the emotions of the audience. A single player enters in to the field and disrupt man to man marking strategy of a strong Korean team? It does not happen even in city teams leave alone national teams. Those who never have taken hockey sticks in their hands can feel good on such impossible tasks. The player who never enters in the ground for practice and sits outside of the field because of her tussle with the coach, goes inside and does magic? Game skill is nothing without practice. Its not video game that dont play for a month and still can play good. Its real game. One needs to do practice.
In the past centuries kings used to have historians who used to write history to establish their kings as winners, greatest kings ever existed . CDI also follows that path. Its fasle screening of a weaker script. Its like modelling. We set boundaries and then fix elements here and there. Like a game is fixed this film was fixed.
Film is a hit. People might have seen something good thats why they saw it but to describe it as a great film is not justified. To say SRK has given his one of the best performance in this weak character is to do effort to kill whatever acting skill he posses. He has not sung a song like his other films and has not played a lover else he does even lesser than he does in other films. He gets a wounded character but Director presents him like a super man and super confident man since begining.
On a lighter note those who does not like SRK on fundamental basis will praise him in CDI because CDI is a grave for SRK the super star. In recent years SRK has got weakest character in the form of Kabir Khan where he was not given shades of such a character and only his big status of a big star was used in the film.
@RK
1.Which sporting logic says that the best player has to be the team captain?Vidya Sharma plays the goalkeeper,thusly she is assured of a place in the team.THe fact that she manages to grab Kabir Khans wavelength shows effective communication skills on her part.And her level headed behavior later on is reason enough for her to be made captain.
2.Clothes in the film?Nike tracksuits?I thought they came for free.
RAyban Goggles?expensive?really?
3.HOw many people know the coahes name?So you expect even the commentator not to know his name?Hasnt a hockey team in the past been known as Charlie’s Angels after Rick Charlesworth in the past?Whats wrong with him calling it Kabir Khan’s team?
4.Weakest character?Not saying a dialogue isrestrained acting?Is that all you took out of Shahrukh’s performance?
@Abhinav (36),
(1)Common sense in any sport always suggests that first team sees a captain in the senior most player, then if s/he is unable to have captaincy then post goes to next senior or a wonderful player, who is though not so experienced like senior player but his/her game skill generates respect in fellow players towards him/her and still they should have have some experience of International game.
Well you are also saying same thing which author and I have been saying that not game but temperamental matching was factor behind the selection of Vidya Sharma. Nothing is wrong in that given the circumstances in the script.
But at same time if you can search, how many Goal keepers have been Captain in the games like Hockey and Football?
Anytime in the film you got to see that players are gathered around their captain to discuss any strategy? On the ground its captain and not coach who has to guide the team. But perhaps writer director team forgot to mention in the begining through a voice over that its story of a dream city where a dream team is playing in the dream. Nothing is real and all is dreamy. :-?
(2) Clothes - perhaps you are mentioning about sponsored clothes once team starts winning and new kits and clothes reach to them. What was the scene for Kabir Khan in India before they leave for world cup? Do we know what he did in those 7 years (and some months days and hours) of oblivion? He says he was preparing for that meeting with sports authorities. But he must be doing something to earn bread and butter.
I also dont know which time period is shown in the film. I see Kabir Khan taking his team to McDonalds in Delhi but I dont find any mobile phone in the film so perhaps writer/director were showing time period of mid 90s. For a Hockey player whose job is not shown in the film,. Rayban should be costly unless he works in Indian army where he gets it through CSD at bit cheaper rate else you dont wear goggles having cost more than 1500 Rs in mid 90s before 5th commission came in to existence. Well films are not supposed to follow extreme realities. But film was advertised as real life story of Mr Negi the Goalkeeper of National men’s hockey team. Hockey players really used to get very less money.
(3) I dont know how many people know names of coaches. I watched Mr Kabir Khan reiterating again and again in loud voice that he is coach of Indian women hockey team and he wants players in the team who play for India. I thought he was coach of team India. I did not know writer director team has declared a new state “Kabir Khan” and in reality the team shown in the film was belonging to that State only. It was not Chak De! India but Chak De! Kabir Khan.:)
I hope you know names of coaches of Indian hockey and football teams (both men and women teams) and you can write them without Google baba’s help.:-?
(4) If some one is saying that its SRK’s best acting and he followed restrained acting or whatever then its objectionable thought - but its subjective also and may differ between you and me, if it works as great role for you, its fine, for me its just a weak characterization.
To justify the presence of SRK in the film his character is given extra footage and unnecessary attention even at the ground where players should be given more footage.If this is restrained behaviour then nothing remains to discuss. Director wanted to encash presence of SRK hence this kind of treatment. Aamir in RDB can be said as given justified footage because his character did not over shadow other character’s space. There writers team and director followed justified approach so that each character gets enough attention.
As you have asked so yes, Performance wise, its a weak SRK film. He has been far more in to the character in Duplicate, KHKN, PBDHH, Maya Memsaab, Swades and even in KANK. He did not mind taking extra footage which was not required to make a good film shows no restrained behaviour was opted from his side. It was out and out a commercial formula film and should be seen in same frame.
CDI is a khichadee film and should be given that kind of respect only. If it was an intelligent film then writer/director had inserted convincingly justified sub plots within the main plot but they were interested in making it superficially good. Its same commercial venture with some make up on the upper surface. Its a hit and should be seen that way only.
They never intended to make a very good film or genuinely good film. Business sense is on top priority and hence script gets no extra hard work/attention.
Proper attention towards audience’s wisdom is given so light care that India is defeated by 1-0 by Pakistan but news reader on a channel says Pakistan defeated India by 3 goals, because perhaps they used some original footage where India was defeated by 3 goals. [Perhaps I heard it wrong].
If it was an intelligent film then director was not going to show International games but where team wins the heart of selectors by giving tough competition to men’s team, that spot could have been the pre climax spot and when team flies to play in world cup could have been the ending keeping hopes from the team. Dialogues, treatment etc all are based on local competition and social shortcomings. international game is not required to show these things as that brings quite immature touch to the film. To win international games is not children’s game. In 3 months you dont become world champion.
What people are shown to think about women players or women games and thinking of Cricketer all these are very local isssues and focuss should have been on these. To go to world cup is the first win and rest is pure fantasy.
Dil ko behla lene ko ghalib ye khayal achcha hai.
Medicore attempts dont make a great film. But satisfaction is there that they never intended to make a very good film. They wanted to give a hit film and they gave a hit film. Those who like it should be happy.
Its a good advertisement film for slogan based national integration film.
:d
@RK
1.Indian footbal coach-Bob Houghton(mens),Harjinder Singh(womens),
Hockey-Joachim Carvalho(mens),no idea about womens
I dont know which sport you watch,but quit frankly there are no set norms in sport when it comes to choosing captains.As I said Kabir Khan’s choice for me tands vindicated.
2.I thought Shahrukh’s performance in Chak de India was both nuanced and intense,a change from his usual self.He might have been better characterised in kank or phir bhi dil hai..but he didnt make enough of a mark in either fromy liking.
3.I am not calling Chak de India a great piece of cinema.And why do comparisons with lagaan and jo jeeta wahi hai sikander come into place?
The reason Chak de no matter how cliched works is because it keeps you engaged for its entire duration.There might be flaws but you are ready to overlook them because of the conviction of the screenplay.And IMHO it is definitely a cut above mediocre.