Chak De! India

Chak De India is without a doubt a one-of-a-kind Hindi film, one that you'd hardly ever expect to see in Indian cinema, and one that is at par with any great foreign production. It is an exceptional sports film, more because there's much more to it than just a series of games, and you never care about the fact that the ending is easy to predict. Shimit Amin, who previously directed Ab Tak Chapphan, directs the film with great skill, care, and feeling for the subject. Jaideep Sahni is responsible for the fantastic script, and that's where we get an original example of expert storytelling.

This is the story of Kabir Khan, once a hockey star and a captain of the Indian team. Seven years ago, he was accused of treason in favour of Pakistan because he missed a crucial penalty against them. Being a Muslim and being good sport about it did the job and, branded a traitor, Kabir left his ancestral home in shame. We know nothing about what he's been through in these seven years, but we do know that he's got a new chance to prove his innocence when he comes back as the coach of the Indian woman's field hockey team. A chance as crucial as this damned penalty stroke.

The second half is much stronger than the first (not that this one's bad), but that's the case with most sports films as the most enjoyable sequences are often in later portions, when the matches finally take place. And well, it is just full of suspense, tension, and even though I could easily predict the ending, the script and direction were good enough to keep me on the edge of my seat and give me quite a few goosebumps throughout it. In fact several moments throughout the matches were so exhilarating and overwhelming that I found myself jumping up off my seat with sheer joy.

Technically the film is superb. The cinematography is amazing, with the camera moving intelligently to focus the viewer's attention on the proceedings. The film is efficiently edited, and the background score more than contributes to the film, building tension where necessary, and making everything so much more captivating. The title track, "Chak De India" is really a treat. It is patriotic, joyful, and very well used in the film. That the film's songs atypically play only over montage sequences, as opposed to the traditional style of song and dance, is certainly a great plus.

Shahrukh Khan is tremendous. This is one of his most restrained performances, yet his charismatic presence is as evident as ever. He is perfectly natural and controlled in a most nuanced portrayal that never fails to convey the inner pain, the frustration, the hope and the quiet determination to clear his name and finally make a place in the sun. The supporting cast is roundly good, and the girls are great as a group. Shilpa Shukla enjoys the meatiest part, an assertive girl driven by ego and jealousy, and she is excellent. Sagarika Ghatge and Vidya Malvade are pretty and convincing.

Chak De India can be described as patriotic, feminist, but for me it's more than anything about willpower and the importance of hard and collaborative work. It teaches and reaffirms that what really makes such games work--and for that matter, many other things in life--is lots of training, patience, and team work, without which nothing would quite click. According to me the best Hindi film of 2007; a thrilling and inspiring cinematic experience which is worth many a repeat viewing for more than one reason. Take a bow, Mr. Amin, Mr. Sahni, Mr. Khan, and all of you, twelve brave cuties.

Aha..Finally Bollywood has a full fledged sports movie.This one is certainly worth a watch for every movie lover.This is a very well made movie with nothing unnecessary being added.

Being an SRK fan I love to see him in all sorts of roles but these are the ones which bring the real actor out of him, Swades being another example.

Role of a coach is perfectly portrayed by SRK.He is the most energetic actor around and he has put it all into it.The story of this movie moves very subtly and augments the excitement every next second.

For a country like India with its national game as hockey this movie was long due.Finally, when it has arrived,it hasn't disappointed.It has also indirectly displayed the crippled Indian sports system which needs much improvement.Lets hope concerned people learn something from it.This movie can really do wonders for the next generation of aspiring hockey players.

CDI is entertaining,insightful,inspiring and yet very simple which is its greatness.This movie succeeds in bringing out tears and giggles and also lets the adrenaline flow in full pace.

The cinematography and editing are equally good.They succeeded in capturing each moment with its complete emotion.

The director has treated the subject extremely well and has brought 100% from all the new actors.The character selection was spot on too. SRK and all others rocked!!!! All in all 10/10. Nothing less for this one!

In plain and simple words, I loved CDI. Heck, even if you take SRK out of it, I would still love it! This movie is about a man trying to prove his dedication and love for his sport, his people, and his country. This is about a man scorned by the nation, shunned by his close ones, and his redemption in the way he knows best. Its this main underlying theme that makes CDI special. This theme is so universal, and so identifiable, that your heart connects instantly.

CDI is about Indian sportswomen coming to the forefront, about the stark and grim realities staring at our national sport, and the reasons behind that. It is about unity in diversity, strength in weakness, and putting the team above oneself. Its about the sacrifices one has to make in order to achieve his goals. Its about the success of true sporting spirit! Its real, yet entertaining. Its patriotic without being jingoistic. Its international, yet soaked in Indianness. Its a collage of the different states of India, and the difficult but fruitful formation of this collage.

I have never played or watched or been interested in hockey! But this movie does not need that to touch your heart. All it needs is some patriotism, humility and goodness in your heart. If thats in abundance, I am sure you will love it.

As for the performances, I would just say the entire team rocks. the keyword here is TEAM, as thats what this film is all about! Enjoy !

I have always loved good melodramatic underdog sports movies such as Remember the Titans,Invincible etc and now we have the bollywood version with Chak De India.

Hats off to the production team and the director for coming out with a fresh and very high quality product with excellently filmed hockey scenes that are quite realistic. I loved the wonderful cast of unknown girls who make up the Indian national women's hockey team. All of them had a part to play and they played them beautifully while executing some rigorous hockey action. They were excellent and gave wonderfully natural performances that should shame some of the already established actresses. Special mention should be given to the actress playing Bindya Naik. My favourite was the actress who played the spirited but pint sized forward from Haryana, she was really cute and funny in a tomboyish sort of way.

Shahrukh Khan was excellent in this movie..... his best performance since Swades in my opinion as he played against type. Had some wonderful moments with the girls and drew lots of cheers and laughs from the audience. If the movie succeeds then a lot of the credit has to go the King khan's crowd pulling power.

If this film succeeds and I sincerely hope it does, I think Amin (director) and Yashraj films are going to start a whole new trend a la DDLJ with a whole slew of sports related movies coming from Bollywood. I am sure cricket will be next on the agenda.

A thoroughly enjoyable ride....go watch it.

P.S. - some interesting trailers shown as well Laga Chunari Main Daag, Aaja Nachle and Goal (the Indian bend it like beckham maybe?)

Having originally planned to both not see Chak De and also to hate it, I went to see the first show and I now love it very much!!

Two nights ago I saw Kal Ho Naa Ho for the 100th time. I found it beautiful, as always, but also realized it never makes me want to cry. Chak De!, on the other hand, is relatively "plain" to look at, and understated (at least for Bollywood), and I felt that wonderful emotional brimming-up-but-not-quite-over time and again throughout the story.

The whole thing about this team of girls from all over India who have to be made into a team really works - you get to know enough about several girls to have a secure sense of the essence of each -- the one with the bad temper, the one whose husband wants her to come home and cook, the senior player who resents the new coach's control, the ones who are out for themselves -- and the problem each presents in relation to SRK's task of making a team out of a collection of individuals

Of course this is any coach's job, but I like the moral resonance with the sad back-story of Shah Rukh Khan's character. Kabir Khan, like the real Indian player on whom the story is based, is an Indian Muslim. He was unjustly accused of throwing a match to Pakistan, and lost his career. A team where all have the identity "India" is an actual team; implicitly I think a country with the identity "India" doesn't engage in persecutory projection and hatred toward a member perceived as "other."

A note about the photography, I like the use of a dusty tone for the first half of the movie, and then a much brighter color skin for the second half, when we leave India and practice fields and go to Australia. The girls' exposure to the bigness and luxury of the west was handled so nicely - we're given their pleasure in all that's new to their eyes--giant swimming pools, exercise machinery, lavish hotel buffets -- but in passing: the Bollywood Visual Excess machine is not in operation, and the shed has several locks on the door. At some official function, we get to see them all in saris and a bit of makeup, but here too it's all under control, they're all dressed alike and half of them hate it.

Shah Rukh is great. There is no sentimentality in the movie and his character is restrained. The music -- no "songs" -- is varied and good -- if I could do without the rap music (for life!!), I loved the Sufi refrain that turns up over and over, that seems to express SRK's character's anguish in separation, longing for reunion (with God).

I've always felt that sadness was quite nearby for Shah Rukh -- here he neither conceals nor dramatizes it, he just lets us feel it. On a more mundane note, though I love Shah Rukh in all his Karan-Johar-selected beautiful clothes, I found it relaxing to see him in a small number of normal coach's costumes, shirts, khakis, and blazers that appropriately looked bought off the racks in Macy's.

The movie really never hits a wrong note. It's also just wonderful in its feminist position. Generally speaking I feel just boredom and agitation at movie violence; in this one, when the girls beat up boys who'd been harassing them, I felt joy.