Nothing beats playing a sport in person. But watching sports biopics may just be the next best thing. Here are some best Indian sports biopics no sports lover should miss.
Biopics have become increasingly popular in recent years, with many critically acclaimed and commercially successful films being made in this genre. Biopics mostly cover the entire life of the subject or focus on a specific period of time or event in their life. These films are usually based on a true story and can include real-life events, experiences, and achievements of the subject.
Nothing beats playing a sport in person. But watching sports biopics may just be the next best thing. Here are some best Indian sports biopics no sports lover should miss.
Also Read: Top 8 Indian cricketers who acted in movies
Best Indian Sports Biopics
10. Budhia Singh – Born to Run
Inspired by a true story, Budhia Singh: Born to Run tells the remarkable journey of this legendary Bhubaneswar-born Budhia Singh, who made history when he ran from Bhubaneswar to Puri, a distance of 65 km, in seven hours and two minutes, that too in 50° Centigrade.
Focusing primarily on the wonder kid’s outstanding talent and not wasting much screen time on unnecessary details, the biopic is as much a story of true grit, courage, determination and tolerance, as much it is an inspiring drama about one man’s fight to spot exceptional talent in a child and make all-out efforts towards making the child a living legend.
9. Jhund
Nagraj Popatrao Manjule’s Jhund is not an outright sports biopic, even though it follows the usual beats of a good sports drama. The film is a commentary on what we as a society can do to help the have-nots identify their plus points and cross the boundary to leap onto the other, brighter side.
Amitabh’s Vijay Borade, modelled on Vijay Barse, a retired sports professor Vijay Barse, who has trained countless street kids in football and formed an NGO Slum Soccer, speaks adequately about it in a crucial part of the film, set in Nagpur’s bylanes, shot wonderfully (Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti).
8. Sand Ki Aankh
Based on the lives of India's oldest sharpshooters, sisters-in-law Chandro and Prakashi Tomar, who come from the Uttar Pradesh village of Johri, Saand Ki Aankh allows us to experience their journey as newlyweds, parents of one child after another, household workers, and people who have been purposeless for nearly six decades.
Despite how much they may dislike it, they have come to terms with the patriarchal values of the culture. The first time they hold a gun in their hands and realise they have a natural ability to hit the target is when they are in their sixties, thanks to Dr. Yashpal, an aspiring doctor who gives up his desire to open a shooting range in the village.
7. Soorma
This is an inspiring true story of the triumph of the hockey player Sandeep Singh who had a near-death experience when he was at the top of his game but overcame it thanks to his unwavering passion for the game, hard work, and sheer willpower.
Sandeep Singh, a specialist in penalty corners for the Indian hockey team from Shahbad, Haryana, made headlines when he was accidentally shot in the spine on a train while en route to join the team that would fly to Germany for the 2006 World Cup.
He sustained an injury that rendered him paralyzed, and the medical community gave him little hope of ever walking normally again. Sandeep, however, not only bounced back from it but also made a comeback and reclaimed his title as the best drag-flicker. In January 2009, he was appointed captain of the Indian national hockey team.
6. Azhar
The movie is based on the true story of Indian cricket player Mohd Azharuddin. The screenplay and direction of Azhar left a lot to be desired, but the one reason to watch this movie is Emraan Hashmi’s performance. He got Mohd Azharuddin’s body language and mannerisms bang on.
The highlight was the slight bobble of the head and the standing stance that were perfectly reminiscent of Azhar. While the film and its politics were not all pitch perfect, the lead man’s efforts did make this movie worth a watch.
Also Read: 10 Forgotten Indian Cricketers and Their Stories
5. Dangal
Dangal tells the story of the legendary Phogat family of wrestlers, particularly Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari and their patriarch Mahavir Singh Phogat.
With gritty realism, the story illustrates how amateur wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat, portrayed by Aamir Khan, after being forced to give up the sport, lived his dream through his daughters who went on to become Commonwealth Games gold medallists.
Winning a score of awards both in India and abroad, the movie was widely lauded by critics. Dangal is perhaps one of the finest sports movies in India.
4. Mary Kom
Priyanka Chopra pulls off a fantastic performance in the eponymous movie from 2014, based on the life of legendary Indian boxer MC Mary Kom. Portraying her journey as a pugilist as well as her balancing of family and career, the Mary Kom movie was widely praised and recorded the highest-ever opening weekend for a female-led Indian film.
Undergoing rigorous physical training, Priyanka Chopra went to every length to pin down Mary Kom’s style of boxing to where even seasoned boxing enthusiasts will be hard-pressed to pick out any flaws in her depiction of the action.
Even though the film was released in 2014, the story only goes up to her 2008 World Boxing Championships victory. Due to the contractual reasons specifying that the movie only depicts her life until 2008, it left out her 2012 London Olympics bronze medal win.
3. 83
The film 83 tells the tale of one of India's most famous occasions. The nation was still adjusting to life on the international stage when it won the 1983 Cricket World Cup. Although India had been free from colonial rule for 36 years, respect still needed to be earned.
Under Kapil Dev's leadership, the team that was chosen to represent India in the World Cup in England was more excited about the opportunity to take a paid vacation than about the possibility of winning the tournament.
The underdogs, who arrived in England without proper transportation, who was denied entry to Lords (the cricket stadium) because it was assumed they would not make it to the final, who were surviving on meager daily wages, who were fighting their own people, and who believed they were worthless, went on to prove to the world that if you believe it, nothing in this world is impossible.
2. MS Dhoni: The Untold Story
The true tale of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Indian Cricket team's world-champion captain who went from being a ticket collector in Indian Railways to collecting trophies.
"MS Dhoni: The Untold Story" is a biographical film that follows the life of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, a renowned Indian cricketer, from his childhood in Ranchi, India, to his rise as one of the most successful captains of the Indian cricket team.
The film explores Dhoni's early struggles as a budding cricketer, his determination to succeed, and his rise to fame through a combination of hard work and natural talent. The film also highlights some of Dhoni's most significant accomplishments, including his successful captaincy during the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup.
Also Read: MS Dhoni's captaincy record in ICC Finals
1. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (Run Milkha Run) is based on the life of Commonwealth Games and multiple Asian Games medal-winning Indian sprinter Milkha Singh.
Starring Farhan Akhtar as Milkha Singh, the film pulls no punches, as it goes back to Milkha Singh’s early days during partition and charts his upbringing and strife en route to becoming one of India’s most cherished athletes.
One of the finest Indian sports biopics, it's based on the book The Race of My Life, written by Milkha Singh and his daughter. While selling the film rights, Milkha Singh charged a mere rupee, on the condition that a share of the profits goes to the Milkha Singh Charitable Trust benefiting needy sportspersons.
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