8 Bollywood Movies inspired by Cricket- Lights, Camera and Cricket

8 Bollywood Movies inspired by Cricket- Lights, Camera and Cricket: Way before IPL became a platform and reason where cricket and Bollywood came together; cricket had already become a part of the Indian film industry. Bollywood filmed and premiered many inspiring cricket stories, stories of struggle, dreams, wins, dedication and even comedy.

The most amazing fact being that the first movie inspired by cricket was made back in 1984, Mohan Kumar’s All Rounder cricket has continued to influence film industry till today and with much more enthusiasm as India is a country of varied religious beliefs that is united by one common religion “cricket”. Since 1984 till this day there has been a bunch of exciting releases some hitting the box office with success and others with disappointing business.

We are soon to see the much talked about ‘MS Dhoni- the untold story’, based on the life of our very own captain cool, on the silver-screen directed by Neeraj Pandey, actor Sushant Singh Rajput will portray Dhoni. The poster of Azhar was released recently as well, the Mohammad Azharuddin biopic, in which actor Emraan Hashmi is playing the lead.

Here is a list of 8 Bollywood Movies inspired by Cricket- Lights, Camera and Cricket

1. Lagaan (Once upon a time in India):

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With no second thoughts and not even a flick of doubt Lagaan is by far the best cricket movie Indian Cinema has produced. Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, starring Aamir Khan, narrated by Amitabh Bachchan and A.R Rahman for music, had the best composition for success. It also had British actors Paul Blackthrone and Racheal Shelley as a part of its cast.

The story about a small village in Gujrat at the time of British Raj in India and the struggle of the villagers to pay heavy tax due to scarcity of rain which leads to a challenge for the cricket match between the two, the British officials there and the villagers who know nothing about the game. The movie shows practice sessions, flood lights, match fixing issues, incredible catch and the retired hurt situation, even the suspense of the last ball, nail-biting finish every cricketing aspect with a tinge of drama. Lagaan has given cricket a whole new love by people who avoided it. It is an epic cricketing story of the year 2001, and is loved by the audience till this day.

2. Iqbal:

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Nagesh Kukunoor’s 2005, cricket story about a deaf and mute boy’ starring Shreyas Telpade is a heart touching story. It is a story of every small town cricketer coming from a poor background. The story connected well with many humble players who rose to fame after difficulties and struggle of their own. The movie is about a cricket-obsessed boy from a remote village in India, who is discouraged by his father and forced to work in the field with him to earn livelihood.

Although his younger sister comes to his rescue and helps him try out for a nearby academy run by Guruji, a former Indian captain, where Iqbal tries to compete with a rich lad and is thrown out by Guruji because of the fear of the rich boy’s father. He then seek help from a local drunkard who was once a great cricketer, Nasseruddin Shah.

They practice in the fields naming buffaloes after the players of the Indian team, he then qualifies and bowls marvelously for his Andhra Pradesh Ranji Trophy team. He was offered bribe but refuses to lose the match for his team. The match ends with outstanding performance of Iqbal, and him catching the eye of the legend and then among the group of selectors Kapil Dev and making a place in the national squad. The movie ends with leaving a smile on the audience’s face as Iqbal is cheered as he walks out of pavilion with the blue jersey that was his dream ready to play his first International match, to live his dream.

Shreyas was coached by Zaheer Khan to learn some basic bowling actions. A story that I am sure has inspired many lives and brought hope to then.

3. Dil Bole Hadippa:

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Bollywood left no stone unturned in showing all the aspects of cricket, cricket and men have had many stories but the cricket love a woman can have has been showcased with a touch of comedy in this movie of 2009 starring Rani Mukherjee, Shahid Kapoor and Anupam Kher. The girl, that Rani plays has love for game and dreams of playing in big league. On the other hand Shahid is the accomplished captain of a England county cricket team, comes to India to coach the Indian team after being asked by his father, Anupam Kher the former coach who was unable to make his team win this cup ‘Aman Cup’ since the last 8 years.

Rani plays for the team, does exceptionally well and wins the game for India. The movie very well tells the tale of the Indian Cricketing scenario and the men dominance in it. It is an inspiring story for women who love playing cricket but have their own obstacles with a good laugh through out the movie.

4. Patiala House:

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This Indian drama sports movie of the year 2011 starring big faces Akshay Kumar, Anushka Sharma, Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia under the direction of Nikhil Advani, also rumored as the story about England Team’s Indian spinner Monty Panesar. It is a story about the struggle of a Indian boy in England who wants to be a part of the cricketing world by playing for the England team but his father doesn’t approve of him being a part of it and forces him to take his name down after he was selected as a teenager.

The boy through ups and downs goes on to represent the national squad. This movie is inspiring, as many real live cricketers from different origins playing for a different country is a fact that the cricket world knows well. It has beautiful emotions which are enhanced by good music and a couple of practice sessions is also shown. The entire movie is cricket based with a flick of love story.

5. Kai Po Che:

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The adaption of Chetan Bhagat’s novel Three Mistakes Of My Life, Kai Po Che is a movie based on the life of three friends who plan on opening a sports store and a sports centre for the kids interested to play cricket, as one of the characters played by Sushant Singh Rajput is a die-hard cricket fan and knows enough to help them grow their business.

The story equally divided among each of the characters the cricket love in this movie is only restricted to Sushant’s character. There is an enthusiasm and eagerness in his eyes when he teaches about the game. His experienced eyes recognizes the talent of a local muslim boy whom he wants to see as a part of the Indian Cricket Team, the plot later takes an ugly turn when communal riots break in the town after the destruction caused by an earthquake.

Sushant’s character gets killed in the riot by one of his friends while he tries to save his student. The story takes a lapse of a few years and we see his friend coming out of the jail and the other friend is seen with the boy, who has a very important match to play that day, completing Sushant’s unfinished dreams.

The cricket love shown in this movie is divine, he gives up his life to save someone he wants to see to grow up as a cricketer. In a way, the character was fulfilling his own dream of becoming a cricketer through the young boy.

6. Stumped:

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A movie released in the year 2003 with Raveena Tandon and Ally Khan as its star. India is fighting a war at the Kargil border against Pakistan in the year 1999, whereas the residents of Happy Home Society are busy watching the world cup. Ally Khan, portraying Raveena’s husband and an army Major goes to fight the war and is thought to be lost or rather dead is but nobody in the society pays any heed to this missing man. This is an emotional story about what a wife goes through while, all the rest of the people around care about the world cup. It is the story of her lonely helplessness. The story features Kapil Dev, Yuvraj Singh and Sachin Tendulkar giving out a social message to the audience.

It’s a story about priorities where the cricketers explain the importance given to them is too much it should be given to the heroes who fight for their countries. They play a game but the army fights risking their lives.

7. Meerabai Not Out:

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Mandira Bedi is a diehard cricket fan and a worshipper of Anil Kumble she works as a maths teacher in a school but has all her attention towards the game. She is asked to get married by her family for which she reluctantly agrees but gradually falls for the guy.

Due to some cricket reasons she reaches late on her own wedding which annoys and results in an angry father-in-law, played by Anupam Kher. The movie ends on a good note as her father-in-law participates in a quiz competition and can only win if he seeks help from his daughter in law because the question was the name of the batsman dismissed by Kumble during his 10 for 74. So, he uses his option of phone-a-friend and calls his daughter in law giving the right answer and winning. The story is the love for game of a lady who though living a moderate and busy life always seek out time to play and watch cricket.

8. Chain Kulli Ke Main Kulli:

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The story of a 13 year orphan boy who lives in an orphanage and is very much influenced by Kapil Dev’s 1983 world cup’s knock of 175 not out, dreaming, talking and living on it. Released in the year 2007 by director Kittu Saluga, the boy somehow manages to acquire the bat once used by Kapil Dev and bats outstandingly with his “Magic Bat”.

He becomes the youngest player of the International Team that is led by a captain Rahul Bose. There are a series of events, where he even loses his “magic bat” before the final match of the series. There is a special appearance by Kapil Dev as well. A movie about love of a fan for the game of cricket, his dream turning into reality and a belief that one should have on himself.