Game,Set,Match

The flavour of the season,as far as films go,seems to be sporting activities,which are increasingly forming the premise of many films.

Filmmakers explore the playground for racy plots

The flavour of the season,as far as films go,seems to be sporting activities,which are increasingly forming the premise of many films. Sample this: Bhag Milkha Bhag captures the life and times of an athlete par excellence; Tigmanshu Dhulias Paan Singh Tomar follows the life of the infamous dacoit who ruled the steeple chase event at the Indias National Games for seven years; David Dhawans Hook Ya Crook is a rip off of Adam Sandlers The Longest Yard,the only difference being that the game is cricket instead of football. Sashi Preetams lesser known Kirkit,which released this February,was a take on gully cricket and introduced audiences to teams called Hyderabad Biryanis and Mumbai Vadapavs. Striker focused on the often neglected game of carrom and Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhans Lahore drew attention to kickboxing. Savin Tuscanos Vroom,set to release on April 16,is a desi Herbie reloaded. In Vroom,actor Gaurav Bajaj plays an 18-year-old who comes across a car with special powers. With Dhoom,we realized that people were looking for adventure,sports,action and pace. So when I made my directorial debut,I chose to direct a Herbie going bananas, says Tuscano,who was the chief assistant director to Sanjay Gadhvi,of Dhoom fame.

K Sera Seras latest feature film based on hockey,too,is cast in this mould. It is a salute to the spirit of our national game,hockey, says K Sera Sera COO Sanjay Gupta. According to him,it is time for India to restore the game to its former glory. We have decided to partner with stalwarts in the game to promote this sport, he adds. They also plan to launch film and television content paying tribute to the legends of hockey,including various activities like a sports anthem,fan club and museum,photo and painting competition across India.

Writer/lyricist Prasoon Joshi and filmmaker Rakesyh Om Prakash Mehra feel that Bhag Milkha Bhag is a film that is meant inspire youth across the world. Like other directors and writers,they maintain that the movies are not just about sports but the human spirits battle to defeat all odds. Sports is the underlining theme because it not only builds characters but reveals its inherent qualities and strength, says Joshi.

Chauhan says that over the decades,Indian movies have reflected the overriding concern of the times: the freedom struggle,social uprisings,Marxist ideologies,unemployment,capitalist exploitation,revenge and family dramas,musicals,romance and experimental. Now,sports has come under the spotlight. With increased awareness about sports,interesting stories are doing the rounds and filmmakers are creating a new turf of filmmaking, he adds.

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