Sports movies - The recent discussion around Chak De makes u wonder about the concept of sports movies - Sports movies are usually of two kinds( there may be more for the afficianados) - One that is based on real life incidents & the other fictional characters



While Hollywood has usually led the way in this, our own Bollywood tries churning out movies on similar lines - Unfortunately in our star struck film industry, movies rarely sell minus the stars and the big banners - Iqbal was an exception and the recent addition has been Chak de India - For a cricket crazy nation like ours, its an irony that we love watching sports but dont make sports movies - Compare this to States, wherein movies have been made on every story possible - Miracle( Herb Brooks leading US ice hockey team to victory), The Greatest Game Ever Played ( An amateaur Francis Ouimet beating most seasoned professionals like Harry Vardon / Ted Ray), Glory Road, Any Given Sunday, Glory Road, Remember the Titans, Chariots of Fire etc



Such movies tell u stories which you never thought could have happened - The impossible actually happens - The underdog comes back from behind and beats the champion - Its like a fairy tale ending with the difference that the fairy tale actually happened - Not to say such examples have managed to create history and have inspired people during those times - Glory Road is a movie about the first ever all black team which won the NCAA championships in the US - This probably played a great role in removal of racism in sports that any other legislation / movement



The question which comes to mind is that in a land of sports fanatic people, why are such movies in dearth here? There is no lack of love of sports - We have enough fanatics to put most fundamentalists to shame ( pl take this comment in good sport and dont bomb me) -
Then what explains the lack of it? Guess its the vision, its the ability to move out of ur comfort zone & create a new genre - Somehow I believe we use the pretext that the audience might not accept it - But come on, unless you would not try, how would you know

Last I heard, Christiano Ronaldo wouldnt be able to come for the promotion of GOAL - Wonder how many ppl actually watch EPL to figure out who the Portugese man might be? Mebbe they could have used Baichung Bhutia but then I guess thats not too upmarket for our film industry

Ending with Al Pacino's speech in Any given sunday - Personally this is the best movie dialogue delivery I've ever heard -
I don't know what to say really.Three minutesto the biggest battle of our professional livesall comes down to today.Eitherwe healas a teamor we are going to crumble.Inch by inchplay by playtill we're finished.We are in hell right now, gentlemenbelieve meandwe can stay hereand get the shit kicked out of usorwe can fight our wayback into the light.We can climb out of hell.One inch, at a time.Now I can't do it for you.I'm too old.I look around and I see these young facesand I thinkI meanI made every wrong choice a middle age man could make.I uh....I pissed away all my moneybelieve it or not.I chased offanyone who has ever loved me.And lately,I can't even stand the face I see in the mirror.You know when you get old in lifethings get taken from you.That's, that's part of life.But,you only learn that when you start losing stuff.You find out that life is just a game of inches.So is football.Because in either gamelife or footballthe margin for error is so small.I meanone half step too late or to earlyyou don't quite make it.One half second too slow or too fastand you don't quite catch it.The inches we need are everywhere around us.They are in ever break of the gameevery minute, every second.On this team, we fight for that inchOn this team, we tear ourselves, and everyone around usto pieces for that inch.We CLAW with our finger nails for that inch.Cause we knowwhen we add up all those inchesthat's going to make the fucking differencebetween WINNING and LOSINGbetween LIVING and DYING.I'll tell you thisin any fightit is the guy who is willing to diewho is going to win that inch.And I knowif I am going to have any life anymoreit is because, I am still willing to fight, and die for that inchbecause that is what LIVING is.The six inches in front of your face.Now I can't make you do it.You gotta look at the guy next to you.Look into his eyes.Now I think you are going to see a guy who will go that inch with you.You are going to see a guywho will sacrifice himself for this teambecause he knows when it comes down to it,you are gonna do the same thing for him.That's a team, gentlemenand either we heal now, as a team,or we will die as individuals.That's football guys.That's all it is.Now, whattaya gonna do?