Bollywood has a variety of genres to offer to its fans from action/ adventure to rom-coms and drama. But, in the recent times what we have witnessed is the growth of cinema in terms of making biopics on sports legends or gangsters. Sports and Entertainment go hand-in-hand, and many popular sports personalities have befriended Bollywood stars now. What happens when the two come together in the form of a film? You can expect a complete entertainer. In recent times we have witnessed films on the lives of cricketers and these movies have fared well on screens and box office. Let’s take a look back at films based on sports
Iqbal: Directed by Nagesh Kukunoor, the film featured veteran actor Nasseruddin Shah and Shreyas Talpade in the lead roles. Naseeruddin and Shreyas played the roles of cricket coach and an aspiring cricket player respectively. The film was unanimously lauded by critics and fans for the storyline and performances, especially the actors. Besides getting numerous awards and honours, the film’s biggest achievement was the National Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues
Chak De India: The film, which was based on the life of former Indian hockey player Kabir Khan, was first of its kind to show women in strong roles. Shah Rukh Khan essayed the role of Kabir Khan in the film, who trains the Indian women hockey team with his own struggles to cope up with. The film was a critical success and won numerous awards. It also fared well at the box office. The title track, Chak De India, received worldwide appreciation for the lyrics and composition
Bhaag Milkha Bhaag: Bhaag Milkha Bhaag did exceptionally well at the box office and critics score. The film featured Farhan Akhtar in the lead role. This sports drama hit the right chord ever since its trailer released. Farhan was seen in a never before seen avatar. He bagged almost every award that year in the Best Actor category. The film, which is considered as one of the best sports drama of all time, also became a prestige entry in the elite 100-crore club
Mary Kom: This Omung Kumar directorial depicts the journey of a girl from a small village in Mizoram with big ambitions of becoming a national level boxer. Priyanka features in the titular role of Mary Kom and she won accolades for the portrayal of the athlete. The film was a tribute to international level boxer, Mary Kom, for her achievements in the world of boxing. The film also marked a new era of promoting women in much stronger roles
M S Dhoni: The Untold Story: A film on captain cool, M S Dhoni, surely was one of the coolest sports film ever to be made in Bollywood. It had elements of drama, romance and comedy that made this film one of the most successful sports films of all time. The film enjoyed one of the best first day openings in 2016 as it collected Rs.17 crore (approx) at the box office. Also, Sushant Singh Rajput’s performance was well received by the fans and critics
Dangal: Dangal is the best example of a fusion of sports and entertainment. This Aamir Khan starrer film is till date the highest grossing Bollywood film with a collection of more than Rs. 2000 crore worldwide. The film narrates the story of a father (Mahavir Singh Phogat) and his relationship with his daughters (Geeta and Babita Phogat). Apart from being the biggest blockbuster of Bollywood, Dangal won tons of awards