India has a history of honoring their sportspersons by making a movie or biopic on their careers. These movies are usually based on an individual or sports team’s triumph in a particular sport. Apart from entertainment, it helps to motivate the audience to achieve greater things in life.
Let us take a look at the top 5 Indian Sports Movies
Chak De India
Chak de India was directed by Shimit Amin. The movie is about the journey of Kabir Singh (played by Shah Rukh Khan) who is accused of betrayal in the Hockey World Cup final against Pakistan to winning the Women’s Hockey World Cup as the coach of the Indian Women’s National Team.
After the final defeat at the hands of Pakistan, Khan was pictured shaking hands with his opponent leading to various accusations by fans and media.
Seven years later, Khan was selected as the coach of the Indian Women’s Hockey Team Coach consisting of 16 players and after initially facing problems in overcoming their differences, he manages to get a grip on the squad.
Chak de India was released on 10 August 2007 and became the third-highest-grossing Hindi film of 2007. The movie won a number of awards and is still considered the best sports movie of Bollywood. The title song of the movie ‘Chak De India’ is regarded as the national sports song and is often played in stadiums and arenas across India.
Dangal
Dangal was released in 2016 and was directed by Nitesh Tiwari. The story of the movie revolves around the wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat (played by Amir Khan). He trains his daughters Geeta and Babita and turns them into world-class wrestlers.
After failing to win a medal for his country, Phogat ties his expectations from his unborn son. Facing disappointment following the birth of four daughters, he gives up hope. One day his two eldest daughters, Geeta and Babita came home after beating two boys, Phogat realizes that his daughters have the capability to become professional wrestlers.
The movie was a box office hit and earned an approximate income of ₹2,024 crore becoming the only Indian film to cross the 2000 crore mark to this day. In 2017, Dangal won the Filmfare Award for the best film and the best action movie of 2016. It also won the AACTA Award for the best Asian Film of the Year.
Lagaan
Lagaan was released in 2001 and was directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. The movie goes back to the British colonial rule in India where a village in the Central part of India paid heavy taxes to the British Army. Bhuvan, who plays the main role in the film (played by Amir Khan) challenges the Britishers to a cricket match and if they win the Britishers have to cancel the tax for three years.
On the other hand, if Britishers won, the village had to pay triple the amount of tax they were already paying.
Lagaan was the most expensive film in India at the time of its release. The movie was the only Indian movie listed on Channel 4’s list of ‘Films To See Before You Die”. It was in the list of Empire magazine’s “The 100 Best Films of World Cinema” in 2010.
Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
Bhaag Milkha Bhaag was released in 2013 and was directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. The movie revolves around the journey of star Indian Olympian Milkha Singh showcasing his trauma-filled childhood to becoming one of India’s best athletes. Farhan Akhtar plays the lead role in the film.
The movie starts during the time of the 1947 Partition of India which led to the killings in Punjab. Singh reaches Delhi from Punjab where he meets his sister. After spending years in the refugee camps, he joins the Indian Army where his running skills get noticed by a sergeant.
He gets selected for service commission which eventually leads to Singh getting selected for the Olympic Games.
The movie earned a box office collection of ₹109 crore in India and ₹25 crore overseas. Among the numerous awards won by the film, it notably won the National Film Award of the ‘Most Popular Film of 2014’.
MS Dhoni: The Untold Story
MS Dhoni: The Untold Story was released in 2016 and was directed by Neeraj Pandey. It is the life story of famous Indian cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Played by Sushant Singh Rajput, the movie depicts the early struggles and rejections faced by Dhoni to becoming India’s most successful captain.
MS Dhoni: The Untold Story was released in 61 different countries making it the widest-released Bollywood movie to date. The movie won a box office collection of approximately ₹216 crore worldwide.
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Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
