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Friday, 30th September 11:00 AM IST
Sushant Singh is outstanding, Rajesh Sharma is natural, Anupam Kher and Bhumika Chawla are decent, Disha Patani and Kiara look pretty
Verdict:
Plot is real and riveting. Young Mahi is more interested in football, badminton and tennis, and tries to blow off his first coach (Rajesh Sharma) who spots his potential. The entire ‘bachpan’-adolescence section, featuring the father (Anupam Kher) who thinks a job will take his son much further than sports, the mother who believes in her son, the sister (Bhumika Chawla) who is a solid support to him, his bunch of loyal friends who just know he can do it, has been crafted with heart and feels authentic. We see Mahi (Sushant Singh Rajput) trying and failing and trying again, despite all the roadblocks, to keep his eye on his goal: to be part of the Indian team and play for his country, and we root for him. What works for the film in the first half is the life-like re-creation of life in a small town (Ranchi), a family getting by on slender means and yet being able to find it in themselves to get behind a bright-eyed lad who dreams big, and is willing to work for it. But then ghost of second half strikes. This loosens the noose that was so intelligently set. The second half keeps dragging for no apparent reasons. Two romances arrive in swift succession (Disha Patani, Kiara Advani, both sparkly, both reduced to sidebars). There are songs and dances. There is a stab at the intrigue that governs selection processes at various cricketing bodies, including the mighty BCCI, but it is laughably feeble. There is no focus or description of other contemporary cricketing greats, there is no mention of decisive cricketing moments and there is no mention of back door politics at BCCI.
Go for this if you Dhoni or cricket or biopic or an entertainer! |