31 March 2022

83...

the film....

I saw this film back to back, and intend seeing it again and again... something about it has gripped me completely. I have always admired Kapil Dev. And Ranveer Singh plays the role beautifully and so authentically. Again, speaking for myself, the movie was a total experience - the making of the film, the cricketers, all that goes on behind the scenes, the expectations of the whole country.... thousands of aspects.... One thing that I realized with a start was the amount of work the manager did behind the scenes and the taunts, money issues, and other travails he had to deal with. This was reinforced when I saw the film Soorma on Sandeep Singh, hockey player. Goodness!! One would imagine the country would go all out to create a good support system to help sports persons.... Also, we don't hear enough of all the sports events the country takes part in, and yet how hard the players work. The hurdles in front of them are tremendous....no/not enough funds, no proper technique, no proper clothes or footwear, nor any of the usual accessories necessary for the game....not even a good enough diet.... Plus they have to get through and over the financial and other difficulties and problems at home. Tack on the societal pressures of their immediate environment. But, it is their children's passion and love of the game that drive parents to give of their 200 percent in any which way they can.....and what is the end goal? To play for India...to wear the India colours....Junoon... And the hope that if they get selected to play for India it will improve the quality of life for their families...no personal egoistic wish.... and so they work...how they work... just their striving and overcoming every block in their way would qualify them as superheroes. What humility and what passion. The coaches don't have any kind of support system to offer a team  - themselves ill-equipped and poorly compensated. These coaches and managers go on and on despite the huge, huge, sometimes Himalayan problems they have to overcome, not to mention the daily societal tensions.....they go on pushing and pushing these players to give more than their 100%. Together coaches, managers, players manifest their complete and total dedication to their sport. They are our superheroes...

Which bring me to the painful realization that for the country it is the politics of it, while for us, the people, it is our solitary dreams and aspirations that spur us onwards through each difficult day....