Maidaan Movie Review: Football is a game played in most countries of the world and is counted among the most favorite sports in the world. But what has been the condition and status of football in India since decades? Where do we stand on the world map of world football? This is not hidden from anyone. In such a situation, if someone talks about the golden era of Indian football, then anyone may be surprised because most of us would not have heard about such a period. The film ‘Maidan’ is based on Indian football coach Syed Abdul Rahim, who took India to such a period of football, which is an interesting and exciting sports drama film.
‘Maidan’ is the story of Syed Abdul Rahim
It is noteworthy that Syed Abdul Rahim, who coached the Indian football team in the 50s and 60s, is considered to be the most successful coach of the Indian football team till date. Syed Abdul Karim is credited for the team’s better performance in the Olympics in the 50s and making India champion in the Asian Games in 1962. Only a passionate person can dream of transforming the Indian football team, which is suffering from poverty, neglect by the administration and lack of good players, into a great team. Syed Abdul Karim was the name of one such passionate person and his courageous dream has been beautifully captured by director Amit Sharma in ‘Maidan’.
Passionate commentary makes the film interesting
Playing football, a fast-paced game of 90 minutes, as a sport is not everyone’s cup of tea. Making an exciting film based on football at the center is even more difficult than playing football itself. But director Amit Sharma has made a film worth watching. The spirit shown on the field by the players in the film, as well as the continuous, passionate commentary in Hindi by actors Vijay Maurya and Abhishek Thapiyal for All India Radio during football matches, makes the film even more interesting.
The second half of the film is fantastic
The first half of ‘Maidan’, directed by director Amit Sharma, who has made a different kind of, very popular and superhit film like ‘Badhaai Ho’, may seem simple and dramatic, but in the second half of the film, the manner in which football matches are played in adverse circumstances. And the struggle of the players on the field is presented, it takes this film to a different level of thrill. Coach Syed Abdul Karim’s passionate efforts to make India victorious in the 1962 Asian Games, despite having lung cancer, touches the heart by the end of the film.
How is the acting of the stars?
The way Ajay Devgan has played the character of football coach Syed Abdul Rahim, his performance cannot be put in the category of extraordinary or wonderful, but it can definitely be said that he plays this character seriously. . Priya Mani as coach Syed Abdul Rahim’s wife who tries to learn English and Gajrao Rao as a sports journalist who conspires against the Indian football team have also done a good job. All the actors chosen as football players have also been selected well who add life to the film with their on and off field performance.
How is the music?
The way VFX has been used to recreate the era of the 50s and 60s and to depict the enthusiastic atmosphere in the stadium packed with people during football matches, can be called praiseworthy. A. R. Rahman’s music and lyrics written by Manoj Muntashir Shukla are fine for the film. Among all these, the song ‘Team India Hain Hum’ used as the anthem song by the film is the most catchy and it has been presented in the film in the best way.
Exposes many problems including flaws in sports bodies
It is worth noting that from the shortcomings of the sports bodies governing football to the (dirty) politics related to the game, there are many reasons due to which the old plight of football in India still persists. But the film ‘Maidan’ does not investigate all these questions in depth. If the film had also highlighted the shortcomings of India’s sports culture, it could have been a wonderful film.
Well, there is no doubt that in ‘Maidan’, the personal and professional life of Syed Abdul Rahim has been presented in a dramatic and at many places a simplistic manner. But ‘Maidan’ is definitely an exciting film in terms of sports films made in mainstream Hindi cinema, whose thrill should be felt on the big screen.
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