A Predictable Strike. Review on Chak De India

This is the story of Kabir Khan, a disgraced Indian hockey team captain who shuts himself in his lone self, following accusations of being a traitor. Seven years of exile and the guy returns with the same hockey stick in his hand, not to play, but to teach. He takes charge as Indian women hockey team's coach. The team, which is far away from its spirit. It is merely a group of sixteen girls with no commonality - 'goals' included.

Kabir Khan takes up the challenge and transforms the losers into miraculous winners in the world cup hockey tournament.

Genuine efforts can be seen throughout the movie to make it an authentic feature based on hockey. You can actually see the girls' struggle to excel in their play and Kabir Khan's commitment to the game and his nation. The girls have acted well. Shahrukh Khan is excellent. A superbly restrained performance. His eyes are a treat to watch in the scene when the team wins world cup final match.

Camerawork is admirable, especially when it follows the ball and sticks on the ground. Some of the moments like SRK's outrage at the journalists, the scene at MacDonald's where the girls beat up a few Romeos are shot marvelously. Shimit Amin's affection for closed frames can be seen in Chak De also, reminding you of Ab Tak Chappan. (In fact the closing scene of the movie, where camera captures SRK standing in front of his house and then moves over the lane of his house, reminded me of closing scene of Ab Tak Chappan, where camera spans over the sea side hotel where Nana Patekar is sitting.)

Kabir Khan is an exemplary Indian. I was about to write Muslim, but then I erased it and wrote 'Indian'. (A direct effect of the scene where he exhorts that the teammates are playing for India and not for their home states.). His character exudes rock solid determination, simplicity and an admirably inspiring attitude. In the times when factions are in full action, Kabir Khan's attitude towards his humiliation is something to be thought in depth. Loud portrayal of nationalism is avoided in Chak de. The film restrains itself from an overdose of patriotism, which could have totally wiped off the silent impact with tears.

But, there is this huge 'but' with Chak de India. Let me be very frank with you - Chak de has not remained with me. Even while I was leaving the cinema hall.

And believe me; I was not comfortable to note this. I wanted to take it home, but I failed. In fact, there is not a major flaw in the movie barring overdose of male chauvinism and cricket bashing (yes, that line by SRK - Hockey mai chakke nahi hote, was a total let down. It was absolutely unnecessary!) I still can be ok (against my wish) with the male chauvinists in the film, because they DO exist in our society, even if I do not confront them so often these days, probably because you and I live in a professionally nourished, privatized environment where women's individuality is respected unlike in the 'old economy' schools of India.

But then, where is the 'But'?

It lies in predictability.

There is an unwanted feeling that creeps in while watching Chak de India. The feeling of 'knowing' that the team is going to win. The heat is up, the pavilions are roaring, the faces are dipped in tension and then there is this final applaud. Doesn't this seem familiar now?

I guess sports encounter started with Jo jeeta wohi sikandar, followed by Lagaan and Iqbal. I have enjoyed all these movies in varying degrees. I remember enjoying JJWS the most as it was influential on my then younger mind. Probably, the first of its kind pf movie. It was transformation of an unable and unwilling individual into a willing and able crusader. Lagaan had a lot to watch out for - a well dramatized settling of scores, great music, well thought and designed costumes and never seen before kind of team building (from unable and unwilling to able and willing). Iqbal was an inspiring story of a boy who is actually able and willing, but still has to struggle to find his place.

In CDI, similar story is retold. This time the dimensions attached to it are - gender bias and Hindu Muslim rift. (Hindu-Muslim split is not new. For instance, in Rang de basanti, Hindu fundamentalist is shown to gradually have a heart to heart dialogue with a Muslim, whom he initially treats as Pakistani. In China Gate, similar story can be seen.)

I cannot get through this battle of issue-based filmmaking. One thing is for sure; there is an alarmingly disturbing emotional appeal made through the protagonists and it does not last for a long. I liked Chak de because it shows the right attitude. I was upset with it, because like many other movies keeping nationalism in the center (and at times logic at bay), it said that dude, if you want to feel patriotic; you have to come to multiplex.

I could not take Chak De India home and the onus does not lie on Chak De, but on this genre of films, which tells me that we have to gear up and buy patriotism from movie production houses.

The onus lies on us. I admit that I have liked movies like Swades, Rang de basanti which address national sentiment but this time I had a strong feeling that every time we buy a ticket for a SRK or Amir Khan starrer movie and see them oozing nationalist sentiment, we actually fail because we approve that yes, we need our actors tell us to be a partisan of that sentiment. We ‘feel good’ after the movie. Once we come out of the theaters, we have the same old India around us, which is complex beyond imagination. Probably, we resort to the simplistic cinematic portrayal of our nation, because reality is too difficult to handle.

Kabir Khan is hard to find. Shahrukh Khan's fans, however, are everywhere.