Maidaan Movie Review: I used to be at school when Shah Rukh Khan’s Chak De! India had arrived in theatres. I vividly bear in mind becoming a member of fellow film lovers chanting ‘India, India’, celebrating every win as if it was a dwell match and even sobbing on the finish of the movie. Almost 17 years because the movie was launched, it continues to be a benchmark for sports activities movies in Bollywood. As I walked into the theatre to observe Maidaan, I admit I used to be ready to attract comparisons with Chak De! India. The Ajay Devgn movie took a special path from the SRK starrer however one factor is widespread: each the movies offer you an important cinematic expertise.

Directed by Amit Sharma, Maidaan stars Ajay Devgn within the lead. The movie is predicated on the lifetime of soccer coach Syed Abdul Rahim and the occasions that lead as much as India’s win on the 1962 Asia Games. Besides Ajay, the movie additionally stars Gajraj Rao as a journalist and Priya Mani as Ajay’s spouse. The crew additionally options a number of recent faces, together with Chaitnya Sharma aka SlowCheeta, Madhur Mittal of the Slumdog Millionaire fame and extra.

The movie encompasses the goals, struggles and the achievements of coach Syed Abdul Rahim, higher referred to as SA Rahim. The coach not solely struggles to kind an iron-clad crew but in addition finds himself combating the corrupted soccer federation, a vindictiv journalist and even protesters. All this to place India on the world map with the assistance of soccer.

If I’ve to explain Maidaan in a single phrase, I’d name the movie exhilarating however in elements. Let’s first deal with the elephant within the room: the three-hour-long runtime. Is it value sitting by all of it? I’d say sure. Director Amit Sharma has not compromised with the runtime to make sure he delivers a meaty movie. A movie like Maidaan, the place there are a number of incidents being lined — the non-public wrestle of coach Rahim, the crew’s points, the political local weather that impacts the game and the matches, the extreme matches — require time. Amit takes full liberty of time to make you spend money on each twist and switch.

This helps the occasions main as much as the climax land brilliantly. Maidaan learns lots from the errors of previous sports activities dramas in Bollywood. Take ’83 for example. The movie lacked the depth, regardless of the characters touchdown so properly. Amit rectifies it, taking a holistic strategy.

Although the movie is positioned like a well-played area, Maidaan has a couple of flaws. A giant situation is the movie spends additional time on dramatic scenes. There are a handful of scenes that might have been crisper, making the movie tighter. Another situation I had with the movie is that it was predictable. A number of are additionally going to complain that Maidaan has numerous low moments earlier than it sees the highs. The manner I see it, Maidaan has been approached like a match of soccer. No two matches are the identical and never all matches could have excessive moments in each twist and switch. Despite the writing points, Maidaan holds your consideration all through the movie.

The greatest striker of this soccer match is Ajay Devgn. While we had an expressive coach within the type of Shah Rukh Khan in Chak De! India, Ajay’s Rahim is totally reverse, reminding us that his eyes do many of the speaking.

While Ajay retains you invested in him and his character, Gajraj Rao will get you riled up together with his efficiency as a vindictive journalist. It might be the primary time in his profession, since Black Friday, that Gajraj Rao goes to make folks offended together with his character on display screen. He really deserves the applause.

The actors enjoying the elements of the soccer crew are phenomenal as properly. Priya Mani is simply magic on the large display screen. She can have chemistry with any actor and might maintain the digicam’s consideration whatever the famous person she is paired with and Maidaan is simply one other instance of it.

On the cinematography entrance, cinematographers Tushar Kanti Ray and Fyodor Lyass (sports activities), together with the assistance of CGI and VFX, carry the game to life. However, there are a number of pictures, particularly within the second half, that carry again reminiscences of Chak De! India. Meanwhile, it’s no secret that AR Rahman is a legend, particularly in the case of patriotic movies. While the BGM rating was spectacular, the songs didn’t land like I hoped it might. Maidaan can also be a welcomed departure from the loud, patriotic films whereas maintaining the spirit of nationalism intact with properly written dialogues. Kudos to Ritesh Shah and Siddhant Mago.

Bottomline: Maidaan deserves to be watched. The movie brings again feelings that we as soon as felt whereas watching Chak De! India. I guarantee you, you gained’t depart the theatre with out no less than hooting as soon as.