Every year, 29th August is celebrated as Sports Day in our country to mark the birth anniversary of Hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand who helped the nation win four Olympics gold medals in the years 1928, 1934 and 1936.
Every year, 29th August is celebrated as Sports Day in our country to mark the birth anniversary of Hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand who helped the nation win four Olympics gold medals in the years 1928, 1934 and 1936.
Taking to twitter, the PM paid tribute to the exceptional hockey player on his 113th birth anniversary and urged people to give priority to sports-related activities. "Greetings to all sports enthusiasts on National Sports Day. Tributes to the phenomenal hockey player, Major Dhyan Chand Ji on his birth anniversary. I urge people to give priority to sports and fitness related activities, which will contribute towards a healthier India," PM wrote.
Sports is a big part of Indian culture and our movies very aptly show it. In Bollywood we have seen iconic movies like Lagaan and Chak de India, which have grabbed huge eyeballs. Even recently released movie by Akshay Kumar, Gold is getting rave reviews.
But, India is a country of many languages and sometimes we don't get to know about gems made in other languages. West Bengal, known for its rich tradition and culture has also produced several sports films-some of which have received cult status. Many of these movies are available on Youtube, some with subtitles. Few are also available on streaming platforms.
However, so far not many biopics have been made in Bengali film industry, popularly known as Tollywood. A biopic on someone like Sourav Ganguly will definitely grab the eyeballs. Here we look at some of the Bengali sports movie, which you have probably not heard of. It is no surprise that majority of it are based on football.
1. Koni
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Probably, the most iconic sports movie made in Tollywood, Koni is the tale of a swimmer who beat all the odds. In Koni, legendary actor Soumitra Chatterjee plays the tough coach whose dialogue 'Fight Koni Fight' has lasted the test of time.
Koni is based on novel written by legendary journalist and author Moti Nandy. Koni, released in 1984 won the national award and remains one of the most inspirational tales to this date. It is a movie you can't afford to miss. If you liked Kabir Khan in Chak De , you are bound to love Khidda in Koni.
2. Dhanyee Meye
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Cricket may be the numero uno sports now, but for a long time, nothing beat the Bengali heart faster than a skillful dribble by a footballer. Football, espescially the rivalry between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal is perhaps the biggest obsession among Bengalis.
Dhanyee Meye ( Mindblowing girl) is a movie of essentially an ode to this love and passion for the sports. The movie showcases legendary Uttam Kumar as owner of a footballer club. It's a light-hearted romantic comedy also starring Sabitri Chatterjee intertwined with the idea of sports. But what is the greatest contribution of the movie is the cult anthem Sob Khelar sera Bangalir tumi football ( Football is the best sports of all for Bengalis) which is still referenced frequently, even though the movie released 47 years back. Watch it for an authentic dose of quintessential Bengali culture.
3. Egaro
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Egaro is a movie which showcases one of the most significant event in Indian and Bengali sports history. In 1911, abarefooted Mohun Bagan defeated East Yorkshire Regiment to lift the prestigious IFA Shield.
Many believe that it gave a boost to the Independence movement in Bengal. It gave the self-belief to Indians then subjugated by British that it is possible to fight back, it is possible to hope for Independence. That sentiment has been captured in the 2011 movie Egaro. Directed by Arun Roy, Egaro boast of a largely unknown cast. But they make up for it in their zeal and raw talent.
4. Le Chakka
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Le Chakka (Let's hit a six), released in 2010, for the want of a better description is Bengal's Lagaan. Only there is Dev instead of Aamir Khan. No, it is not a remake, not even close to it. But the plot revolves around cricket and about hero using the sports as a leverage to win some favour over his nemesis. Where it was the Britishers in Lagaan, here the villains are the developers who want to capture a locality in North Kolkata.
Dev who initially has a hard time in the locality as he comes from South Kolkata and faces a cultural gap, becomes the cricketer with the shining pad for Dorjipara. His team wins the match and he also gets the girl, a role played by Payel Sarkar. The movie was directed by Raj Chakraborty, one of the most accomplished names of the Bengali film industry.
5. Chaamp
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This is another blockbuster from Tollywood superstar Dev, directed by Raj Chakraborty. In Chaamp, Dev plays a boxer, knocking out his opponents left, right and centre.
Chaamp is a story of redemption, of a person who gets glory and then hits a rough patch and how he finally again manages to start winning. Chaamp, which is produced by Dev too, is an out-and-out potboiler with boxing as background. Watch it for some effortless timepass.
6. Lorai
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Lorai (Struggle) stars Tollywood's most prominent name, Prosenjit Chatterjee. It is directed by Parambrata Chatterjee. Here Prosenjit shows his acting chops as an ex-coach who is responsible for training footballers in the dusty terrain of Purulia. It is a story of perseverance, hard work, about the hundreds of hours of practice that goes to create a moment of magic in the field. It is a must-watch for hardcore football fans. It was released in 2015.
7. Messi
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The film of the name Messi (2017), screams that it is a movie about football. But here the novelty lies in the script. It is a story of two brothers, one a good for nothing guy and another a budding footballer. As fate intervenes, the budding footballer is left physically disabled and somehow his brother is responsible for it. To overcome the grief, his brother now tries to become a football player!
Sounds too filmy? Well it is but director Ringo manages to strike gold. He makes a fast-paced movie combining social commentary with football. Aryann Bhowmick stars as the hero in the movie. It is a good one-time watch.
