Maidaan review: Amit Sharma scores a winner with Bollywood's best sports drama in years, Ajay Devgn shines yet again

Director: Amit Ravindernath Sharma

Cast: Ajay Devgn, Priyamani, Gajraj Rao, Rudranil Ghosh, Chaitnya Sharma, and Davinder Gill

Where to watch: In theatres 

Rating: 4 stars 

After a shameful 10-1 defeat at the hands of Yugoslavia at the 1952 Olympics, Indian football coach Syed Abdul Rahim (Ajay Devgn) takes on the challenge of handpicking raw talents across the country to form a team that will fight hard and herald the Golden Era of Indian football. 

Maidaan narrates the story of a forgotten hero, coach Syed Abdul Rahim, who achieved the impossible, and took the national football team to the international level. His journey wasn't easy. He faced numerous challenges, ranging from the internal politics of the sports federation to cigar-puffing sports journalist Prabhu Ghosh's malicious headlines against his team and deteriorating health. Amit Ravindernath Sharma’s film does not evoke nostalgia as it is about a chapter in Indian sporting history that many in the mainstream are unaware of. But In just over three hours, the director takes us on a moving yet informative journey that will make your chest swell with pride for Indian football and for coach Rahim’s brave XI.

Maidaan scores because of the balanced narrative without jingoism. The movie isn't just about the stature of Indian football through the 1950s, but is also about the journey of coach Syed Abdul Rahim, and his own growth. We see legends of Indian football such as PK Banerjee, Chuni Goswami, Tulsidas Balaram, Neville D’Souza, Peter Thangaraj, and many others who scripted India’s golden run.

The film rides on the performances of the leads. Ajay Devgn is the soul of the film. When it comes to biopics, Ajay gets into the character's skin beautifully. The actor, who has given mass entertainment with his Singham and Golmaal series, successfully sheds his superstar aura here and becomes the focussed-yet-vulnerable coach. Ajay's expressive eyes depict the coach’s inner turmoil effortlessly.

Priyamani plays Syed's wife Saira, a dedicated homemaker, who learns English to adapt to the changing times. Despite limited scope, Priyamani shines in her character and gives strength to Syed when he needs it the most. Gajraj Rao, who received love for Amit's last directorial Badhaai Ho, will now be receiving hate for his character, and that's a big win for him. Apart from the trio, Shubhankar Babu (Rudranil Ghosh) also does a fantastic job of easily delivering a negative performance. Among the on-screen team, Davinder Gill as Jarnail, and Chaitnya Sharma as PK Banerjee stand out.

The movie's first half is engaging, and the narrative travels fast from 1952 to 1960, focussing largely on the coach's attempt to take the team to the top level. The movie has a strong intermission point that leads to a slow but impactful second half. Post-interval, the film slips into melodrama for the first 15-20 minutes. But thankfully, soon the narrative shifts back to the pitch. 

The director and cinematographer Tushar Kanti Ray deserve a lot of credit for showing the football games without any super slo-mo shots or overly dramatic scenes. AR Rahman then adds to the magic by providing an apt soundtrack and background score that syncs with the film. The one drawback I found was the drop in pace in the second half. Maidaan may not be Lagaan or Chak De India, but it will be remembered as one of the best sports dramas in India in recent times, and just for managing this, director Amit Sharma deserves praise.