After long delays and a pandemic, Kabir Khan’s labour of love, 83 is releasing in theatres today. The film that dramatizes India’s iconic win at the 1983 World Cup has been getting positive reviews ahead of its release as the film’s beats as well as Ranveer Singh’s pitch perfect portrayal as the then Team India captain, Kapil Dev is getting a lot of love. Ranveer’s real-life spouse, actor Deepika Padukone, who has also produced the film, essays the role of his on-screen spouse, Romi Dev, in 83.
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Kabir Khan had earlier revealed Deepika’s first reaction after watching 83. Kabir had shared that Deepika was overwhelmed, “She was not being able to speak, she was choking up,” he said.
Not just critics and their Bollywood colleagues, members of 83 team were effusive in their praise of the film. Batting maestro Sunil Gavaskar told Indian Express, “Saw the movie for the first time at the Premiere last night and was blown away by the film. It’s simply brilliant and the way every actor has got the mannerisms, the walk, the look, the style of every player was unbelievably uncanny. Full marks to Kabir Khan and his team for their efforts.”
The Indian Express film critic Shubhra Gupta gave the film a 3.5-star rating. In her review, she wrote, “Kabir Khan’s ‘83 recreates that day with fidelity, and, yes, let it be said, in full Bollywood style, suffused with song, dance, drama, colour. Ranveer Singh disappears into his Kapil Dev even as each of Kapil’s Devils is given their own moment in this faithful recreation of India’s 1983 World Cup win.” Read less
The film also stars Jiiva, Saqeeb Salim, Jatin Sarna, Pankaj Tripathi, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Ammy Virk, Chirag Patil, Dinker Sharma, Nishant Dahiya, Harrdy Sandhu, Sahil Khattar, Adinath Kothare, Dhairya Karwa, Neena Gupta and Boman Irani in pivotal roles.
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Ranveer Singh shared the letter of the coach who trained him for 83.
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Music composer S Thaman tweeted, "#83 is jus a NUMBER. THIS FILM WILL RUN FOR #100DAYS FOR NO LOSS. #83TheFilm IS GEM HIDDEN INSIDE A CRICKET STADIUM. WELL PLAYED WELL MADE. @RanveerOfficial UR OUR #RUN VEER SINGH NOW . A lovely team effort."
The music of 83 is getting a lot of love.
This cosy romance between two of India’s most lucrative vocations is nothing new. Bollywood has always been in awe of cricket. And cricket has paid back the compliment by revealing a time-tested crush on cinema.
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At The Indian Express eAdda on Thursday, Ravi Shastri said, "The cast, the efforts they put in… Ranveer (Singh) as Kapil Dev. Kabir and all the cast there; they worked their backsides off to try and look like the characters they were playing. To put real life into reel life is not that easy. And I thought they did a fabulous job. Memories came flooding in again, when certain scenes were shown and that got tears to your eyes. This is must-watch for everyone. Get to the theatres."
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Saqib Saleem told indianexpress.cim, "It is not just about holding a bat and a ball. It is about understanding the man’s mindset. Mohinder Amarnath comes from a cricketing family. Of course I knew about cricket, but first I had to read about him a lot. I was fortunate enough to get to spend about a month with him in person. With such legends around me, I was like a cricket fan on set."
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In an interview with Pinkvilla, director Kabir Khan said that in one of his first meetings with Kapil Dev, the former cricketer requested that the film be about the whole team. "When I met Kapil Dev and one of the first things he told me was ‘I hope it’s a team story and you are not making the film on me'," he said.
Actor Saqib Saleem was visibly moved after Mohinder Amarnath gifted him a special red handkerchief after being impressed by his performance. Sharing a video of the moment on Instagram, Saqib wrote, "The biggest validation I could have asked for. To get the red handkerchief from the legend himself after he saw the film."
Early box office reports suggest that 83 opened to 40-45% occupancy in five metros--Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Pune, Kolkata and Bangalore. But in smaller cities, it could only muster between 10-30% occupancy, Box Office India reported.
"Feeling massively fatigued after watching #83TheFilm. There’s such a thing as too much cricket, it turns out," screenwriter Anirrudha Guha wrote on Twitter after watching 83.
"Being a die-hard Cricket fan I was born 12 years late but I am fortunate enough to watch #83TheMovie #83TheFilm #83TheFilmReview. An emotional goosebumping experience I will never forget. Thank you @kabirkhankk @RanveerOfficial and entire team for this experience of a lifetime," @AnandHR_Odia wrote on Twitter.
Huma Qureshi shared a picture of her brother Saqib Saleem with their mother from the screening of 83. Sharing the photo, she wrote, "83 is not a film .. it’s a feeling .. to me last night felt beautiful.. like my mummy’s hug .. thank you @kabirkhankk sir for giving @saqibsaleem Jimmy Amarnath & for making this lovely film … Thank you to all the boys who are like his brothers now!! Thank you @ranveersingh for not just being the supernova of talent that you are But also being the generous superstar who let the film shine above all!! Thank you to the OG players for giving us hope as a nation where there was none. 83 is just so special.. Thank you all for letting me witness this ?? #grateful #blessed #pyaar #proud Above all, thank you my baby brother for showing me that despite everything the world may throw at you … Hard work always shines .. you keep working at your craft and your passion and one day the world will see it too … You deserve this my jaan and much more … ??"
During the music launch event of his upcoming film Jersey, Shahid Kapoor said, “The promos of 83 are looking very nice, and I’d love to see the film. It is about India’s World Cup win in 1983 and it is a story that everybody would want to see. Everything about the film is looking so good.” Read more
A Twitter user who watched 83 called the Ranveer Singh starrer 'brilliant'. "Couldn't convert my emotion in to words. I'm speechless! Such a brilliant movie.! Definitely will watch again next weekend," @Anji25238 tweeted.
On December 16, Ranveer and Deepika watched with pride as the trailer of 83 was played on the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.
Rhea Chakraborty shared her review of 83 as she wrote on Instagram, "Absolutely loved the film Kabir Khan sir you have given us a masterpiece. Ranveer Singh, I have no word for you, you are so good Osaoib Saleem, you rockstar. Loved your performance hats off to the whole cast and crew. Thankyou. Please go watch the film. It's brilliant."
Suniel Shetty was stunned by 83 as he shared on Twitter, "Went to watch @RanveerOfficial in #83. Couldn’t spot him. There was only #KapilDev on screen. Incredible transformation. I am stunned beyond. A team cast that could’ve walked off Lords. Got gooseflesh like I was reliving ‘83. Still shaken & teary-eyed at the artistry & emotions."
Jatin Sarna, who plays Yashpal Sharma in 83, is sad that the batsman passed away earlier this year. Sharing that he was heartbroken when he heard the news of Yashpal’s demise, Jatin said, “I was shattered in every sense and not because I was playing him. I have seen the team and the unity that they possess. I felt hurt that one among them was gone. Then of course the world lost an ace cricketer. And in the end, I was also upset that I wanted him to see the film with me. Till now, I am yet to come to terms with his death. I recently met his family and we were all in tears while talking about him. It was so emotional for all of us. We are missing him a lot and I am glad people will watch the film to know about his contribution to Indian cricket.” Read more
Darshan Yewalekar, the celebrity hair designer who created Ranveer’s look for 83, said it was challenging to recreate Kapil Dev's look. He told indianexpress.com, "It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to be a part of such a mammoth and historic project. Kabir sir gave me a very straightforward brief during our first meeting — to replicate ‘the’ hair. We had to go through volumes of Kapil sir’s pictures to get every curl and wave right. We went through almost four to five look tests to achieve the precise ‘Kapil Dev look’. Then there was his classic moustache. I had to be very precise about how much to trim it, and that literally came down to slowly removing a single hair strand to make sure we got the look just right." Read more
Ranveer Singh’s ‘dear father-in-law’ Prakash Padukone had shared his memories of the 1983 cricket world cup when the Kapil Dev-led Indian cricket team created history by winning against the West Indies.
After the premiere of 83, Ranveer Singh was spotted dancing with former Indian cricketer Kris Srikkant along with co-actor and singer Hardy Sandhu.
Filmmaker Ribhu Dasgupta congratulated team 83 for making a film that will bring back the memories of the 1983 world cup win. He tweeted, "Every Indian will be proud and emotional again after 38 years to see Kapil’s Devils lift the WC. #83 is going to be a monumental film for years to come.@RanveerOfficial deserves every award on the planet & more. Cricket is a religion & so is Cinema. The whole country will experience how INDIA changed after the WC victory. Every parent wanted to name their child Kapil.@kabirkhankk truly gives the audience of this country, a national film. Congratulations @Shibasishsarkar & @RelianceEnt for such a grand release & believing in cinema and it’s theatre audience. Shows your passion, resilience, grit and character. Take a bow."
Ravi Shastri was a guest at Express Adda on Thursday and in conversation with Anant Goenka, Executive Director, The Indian Express Group, he shared that he had tears in his eyes when he watched the film. “Not because I was part of the team that won, I really had tears in my eyes when the film got over because it brought back so many memories,” he said. Read more
Actor Sudheer Babu is in awe of 83. After watching the film, he wrote on Twitter, "#83theFilm has some authentic recreation of real heroes & incidents on screen, everyone fits their part perfectly with @RanveerOfficial leading in the front. Many nostalgic moments watching it. Proud of my friend @vishinduri for producing a tribute film to Cricket & hoping to see many more victories for @vibri_media. Nice to see our #BhaleManchiRoju girl @GabbiWamiqa play her part brilliantly. Congrats to all the cast & crew involved on hitting it out of the park."
Film trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared, "#Xclusiv… #83TheFilm screen count…?? #Hindi: 3374 screens / 1727 cinemas / 11011 shows per day ?? #Telugu: 137 screens ?? #Tamil: 184 screens ?? #Malayalam: 13 screens?? #Kannada: 33 screens #India screen count total: 3741 screens."
Ranveer Singh and Kapil Dev's bromance at the special screening of 83 in Mumbai caught everyone's attention. Ranveer shared a couple of pictures of himself with the formed Indian skipper. The actor is seen essaying the role of Dev in 83.
Ranveer Singh's stylist Nitasha Gaurav called 83 the most 'immersive' film. After watching the film, she wrote, "This is the most immersive film I've ever seen. I felt as though I was living each moment, as though I was in the team, as though Kapil Dev was my captain....I have never ever seen a film before that I felt this invested in. N Ranveer, I don't know if I even have words to describe Ranveer. He was as Kapil Dev himself in every way - the look, the mannerisms, the blazing fire under the gentleness, the simplicity of single-minded focus, the unshakeable self assurance, the captain who was the tip of the spear as well as it's force. A beautiful film. A film you live. Ps: Be prepared to be clapping and cheering almost non-stop, from start to finish."
Former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar said he was blown away by 83. “Saw the movie for the first time at the Premiere last night and was blown away by the film. It’s simply brilliant and the way every actor has got the mannerisms, the walk, the look, the style of every player was unbelievably uncanny. Full marks to Kabir Khan and his team for their efforts,” the batting maestro told The Indian Express. Read more
“When you will watch the film, you will feel a strong bond among the cast. We had such great fun during the shoot. Every day after pack-up, while returning in a bus to the hotel, Harrdy (Sandhu) and Ammy (Virk) used to sing songs, and everyone else sang in a chorus,” shared Pankaj Tripathi in an earlier conversation with indianexpress.com.
Taapsee Pannu took to Twitter and shared, "#Thisis83 every single actor who appeared on screen had my heart! What a piece of art! What writing ! What direction! Cricket is a team sport and so is film making, all I can say is well played. I’m so glad and thankful they waited for theatrical release for this one."
Ranveer took to Instagram and shared a photo of his mother with the 1983 Cricket World Cup. "Hum jeet gaye, Mumma! ??? (ps: that’s the actual cup!)" he wrote in teh caption.
Ranveer took to Instagram and shared a photo of his mother with the 1983 Cricket World Cup. "Hum jeet gaye, Mumma! ??? (ps: that’s the actual cup!)" he wrote in teh caption.
Ranveer took to Instagram and shared a photo of his mother with the 1983 Cricket World Cup. "Hum jeet gaye, Mumma! ??? (ps: that’s the actual cup!)" he wrote in teh caption.
"#83theFilm has some authentic recreation of real heroes & incidents on screen, everyone fits their part perfectly with @RanveerOfficial leading in the front. Many nostalgic moments watching it," shared Sudheer Babu on Twitter.
Deepika Padukone at Siddhi Vinayak temple ahead of 83 release.
In a recent interview with Quint, when Kapil was asked how his family reacted when Deepika came on board to play the role of his wife Romi, he shared, “I think mixed because I don’t know how much the role of my wife is in 83. So one does not realise that what they are trying to do there.” Kapil Dev also spoke about how he felt when he was told that Ranveer Singh was selected to play his role in 83. He said, “I think you feel happy that such a great, talented actor is trying to work on that. I was little worried also because it’s a very athletic job to do that. But the way he worked and the way he was working through out in the last one year, I couldn’t believe that somebody can be so much keen in trying to do so much in that movie.”
In a conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Kabir Khan shared that Deepika Padukone was overwhelmed when she saw 83 for the first time. The Bajrangi Bhaijaan director said that he thought that Deepika had dialed him by mistake as there wasn’t much sound on the other side. “I thought she has dialed me by mistake because I was saying ‘Deepika, Hello’, and there was silence. She was not being able to speak, she was choking up. She said ‘I’m so sorry, so sorry, I’m just too overwhelmed, I’m not being able to speak’ and I said, ‘Deepika, you don’t need to say anything more. What you’ve said in this one line and the way you said it, I know exactly the way you felt about the film’.”
Sharing a poster of the film, Alia wrote on her Instagram story, “Phew! 83! Kabir Sir, I have so much to say and still, I have no words. It’s not a movie that can be boxed into a post along with a few adjectives! It’s an experience- a part of history that’s nothing short of magic! There were so many moments when I wanted to clap scream cry and dance at the same time! Pride, joy, unity, friendship, inspiration, I mean the list can go on. You walk out a different person after watching this beautiful beautiful film! Thank you for this film!” READ MORE
"Kapil Dev sir told us that they will all sit together as a team and watch 83 when it’s released. They have refused to see any screening. That shows how secure they are of their stardom. I am also flattered by the trust they have put in me that they’ve shared their story and now given me the freedom to interpret it. They made it my story to tell and never intruded in my filmmaking space," shared Kabir Khan with indianexpress.com. READ MORE
Film trade analyst Komal Nahta, who attended the screening of the movie in Mumbai, feels 83 has “everything that the audience wants in a film — there’s the thrill, excitement, fun, light drama, melodrama and emotions and to top it all, there are a lot of things of patriotism. The feeling for the motherland is so high that your chest swells with pride.” As per Nahta, the three major aspects that would translate into great box office numbers are “the whole thrill of the game, feeling of patriotism, and Ranveer’s Singh’s performance”. READ MORE
Karan Johar took to Instagram and shared, "It’s not easy to tell a true story … an actual account of a milestone event in Indian Sport History! There is no room for cinematic licenses and distortion of facts for dramatic impact… which is exactly why #83thefilm is such a monumental achievement …. It sucks you into that year… that World Cup , that team , that political climate , that mad fandom frenzy… I saw myself rooting for every member of that historic team… Laughing and crying with each one of them … I saw myself rooting for Kabir Khan and his maestro ability of story telling…. Taking an arduous task and perfecting it like a mega methodical master! Salute!"
"I think it's incredible and for me, 83 is not a film, it is an emotion and it is an experience. I don't think you can define how you feel when you come out of this film," shared Deepika Padukone in an Instagram story.
The get-together for Kapil’s Devils turned out to be a fusion of happiness and sorrow. They bonded over Kabir Khan’s film, ‘83’ and relived their glorious past. They became teary-eyed and broke down while recalling Yashpal Sharma, who passed away in July following a heart attack. Before the special screening of the movie at PVR Andheri on Wednesday, they observed a minute’s silence.
“We observed a minute’s silence in Yashpal’s memory before the start of the show. We missed him on many occasions during the show as well. He loved watching Hindi movies and I used to pull his leg. It’s difficult to get over the grief. He will remain with us all the time. His family is like our family now,” Balwinder Sandhu told The Indian Express.
“You can take screengrabs from the trailer, and match it with the actual footage that is available online. That’s the amount of detailing Kabir Khan has put into this. Everybody wanted to put their best foot forward. So that makes even you want to try harder. Everybody was motivating one another. We used to eat together, sleep together, party together, practice together. After a point it was like an extended school vacation," shared Saqib Saleem with indianexpress.com. He plays Mohinder Amarnath in the film.
“Saw the movie for the first time at the premiere last night and was blown away by the film. It’s simply brilliant and the way every actor has got the mannerisms, the walk, the look, the style of every player was unbelievably uncanny. Full marks to Kabir Khan and his team for their efforts,” Sunil Gavaskar told The Indian Express. Tahir Raj Bhasin has played Gavaskar in the film
"Very difficult to talk abt a film where u start crying 15 mins into the film till the last frame hence watching it totally in a soft blur. #83 is a masterclass in sports filmmaking. And @RanveerOfficial's transformation into Kapil Dev is UNREAL. @kabirkhankk @TripathiiPankaj," wrote Srijit Mukherji on Twitter.
"@RanveerOfficial my brother u have me clean bowled with ur performance in @83thefilm. This is easily ur best performance to date. Words fall short to express all the emotions that one goes thru while watching the film. U have truly lived the role of legendary @therealkapildev," shared Vivek Oberoi on Twitter after watching 83.
"Don’t even think twice… Go see ‘83’ in the theatre and experience one of the most incredible moments in India’s sporting history!! The performances are incredible & the direction is a hit out of the stadium!!!" shared Adnan Sami on Twitter.
"BIG congratulations to #KabirKhan @Shibasishsarkar #sanjaypuransinghchauhan @RanveerOfficial @deepikapadukone & team for #83thefilm An unerringly fantastic film! Wonderfully rousing cinema in the best sense of the word!! And so heartwarming! This is the nationalism we need," shared Swara Bhasker on Twitter.
"For a cinema lover who’s a cricket fan, that too an Indian cricket fan, there cannot be a more moving experience inside a theatre than what @83thefilm is! @kabirkhankk I’m so so happy this film found its way to you..and @RanveerOfficial You’ve truly set the bar for our generation," shared Prithviraj on Twitter.
The Indian Express' Shubhra Gupta gave the film 3.5 stars and wrote in her review, "The one who takes us past all these niggles is Ranveer Singh, disappearing into his Kapil Dev. ‘Aukaat se zyada khelna padega’, he says, sounding remarkably like Kapil, and goes out and does it. The slightly protruding teeth, the discomfort with English (those self-deprecatory digs at himself are smile-inducing), the deliberate delivery, the never-say-die spirit, is all spot on. (We see the real-life Kapil cheerleading from the stands, and the house comes down). Batting, bowling, being ‘cap’, staying on top: his playing ka koi jawaab nahin." READ MORE