Chak de India!!

Back after a long hibernation. Writing again fighting all inertia, because after watching this awesome film....somehow the patiotic jingoism has caught up with me too!


One of the better made films of our times, gives a patriotic fervour to anyone watching it- especially if you happen to see the film in a run down theater... in first row... with ppl whistling at every dialogue... well, actually quite a experience to me after the pvr's and inox'es of Bangalore!

Aficionados would vouch for Shah Rukh's performance. He carries off the role of a hockey coach aplomb bringing reminiscences of Swades. Most others are nameless actors carrying off the roles of nameless hockey players... a pity goes out for sports in India (I do not call cricket a sport in India any longer- It is more akin to religion).

Making a mockery of cricket (particularly a poor punjab lad who happens to be one of our better cricketers- Yuvraj), a jig at Jharkhand, Andhra, North East... somehow the film manages to carry off that message it intends to ingrain in us: we are a nation of over-emotional people.

Be it cricket, caste system, religious animosity, blazen-headed babudom; we are emotional about everything... we fight one another with passion- bomb blasts, territorial fights, naxalism, what not... love with such a passion tht you can't let go- every newspaper has a acid attack/rape case in the first page, dry hoarse about security issues- be it nuclear agreement, indo-pak, indo-china border issue... ad infinitum...

There is also a subtle message which comes out beautifully in the film- We are a bunch of individuals, never a team. We can excel individually, never brilliant on team spirit. Finally- most of us have EGOs which can dwarf a hockey field.

Well gentlemen, if you have not seen the film yet- go see it now. Chak de India!

Here are some interesting reviews on this film-
Wiki
Imdb
IE


PS- Well, I have been reading some interesting books in past few weeks- will come up with some reviews if time permits. Here are the ones which I have read in past month & think is worth reading- Seabiscuit, Harry Potter- Deathly Hollows, Reminiscences of a stock operator, Every business is growth business from the one and the only Ram Charan, The Leadership pipeline- from him again, Copycat marketing 101..

Ciao till next time...Harsha