83 recreates history
Film: 83
Date: 24.12.2021
Ratings: *****
By Bhawana Somaaya
Kabir Khan directed 83 is the story of the Indian cricket team and the historic win during the World Cup. Everyone is familiar with what happened during that iconic match and how India created history and now filmmaker Kabir Khan and his talented writing team recreates the magical moment on the big screen.
The narrative addresses every query, controversy related to cricket and the players, their passion, obsession, superstitions, regime, personal crisis and we are exposed to their discomforts and discriminations. Along with we travel through the country’s national/ political/ social/ cinematic and cricket milestones during that year, the highs and lows!
It was the year of the war across the border, of communal riots, of dish TVs, of Amitabh Bachchan movies and a 10-year-old Sachin getting ready for the big dream.
From the opening credits to the end credits, the manner in which the film unfolds, the pace, the treatment and the story-telling is spell binding, packed with drama, humour, emotion and excitement and even though you are aware of the outcome, you are screaming out of joy and weeping at the same time.
It does not matter whether you understand cricket or not. It does not matter whether you are a film buff or not because 83 is not about you, it is about India, our self-respect, our glory and our unity!
Whenever something spectacular occurs, something out of ordinary, no matter how earnest the efforts, something always gets left out. In that sense 83 is not an exception, the film has a failing too, the interval. You resent that small break because you are desperate to get back to the movie, restless to watch Kapil Dev on the playground.
Ranveer Singh as Kapil Dev is the heartbeat of the film, his team, his moral support and Pankaj Tripathi as Man Sigh, the conscience of the team players. Deepika Padukone brightens the screen in a cameo. Watch out for her when she reprimands the British reporter.
Watch 83 with your entire family, all your neighbours, all your friends, even your enemy and carry with you, your cricket caps, whistles and the national flags because this theatrical experience is in no way different from the stadium experience. I am proud to say that film 83 gives viewers as much joy as the year 1983 gave to our nation! With a big salute to Kapil Dev and to Kabir Khan team, I rate, for the first time in my career as a film critic, a film with 5 stars.
Jai Hind!
First time here, haha
Though I am a recent convert from a pucca movie fan to a Bollywood shunner (after too much exposure to the murky going ons, culminating with the SSR murder), I watch the occasional film to keep the wife Devyani Narayan in a good mood.
Watched 83 in a special screening last night at Jio World Drive (courtesy Sundeep Bambolkar). The sheer intensity of the feelings and spirit of the original 83 World Cup Winning Squad hit me.
“Like people says, taste the success once, the tongue wants more”, to a rather unbelievable statement by the Haryanvi Jat “We have come to win the Cup” show the innocence of our dear “Palmolive da jawab nahin” boy in its truest manner.
Each actor on screen, portrays the individual cricketer so beautifully that we are, for the first time in 38 years, exposed to the feelings, emotions and self belief of that squad. Thank heavens for no “Mike in your face” reporters in those days!!
Sadly BBC chose to go on strike on the eventful day at Turnbridge Wells when a record breaking 175 n.o. was scored by the determined skipper.
I have to doff my hat to Mr Bhavnani (Ranveer Singh) for his outstanding portrayal of Kapil Dev Nikhanj – be it the facial features, buck teeth, swagger, typical bowling style, “the Nataraja shot” (much before helicopters et al) – Ranveer has captured the simplicity and innocence of Kapil in its entirety.
Pankaj Tripathi in the role of the then Team Manager Mr Mansingh has so beautifully underplayed his role that you can’t but admire his performance
Kabir Khan has interspersed the original squad to give them the respect that they truly deserve. Mohinder Amarnath in the role of his father, the legendary Lala Amarnath provides some smiles.
What touched me in the context of the billions the pampered cricketers get in the #IPL is the lack of belief in the players that the BCCI is going to give each player ₹25000/- & not to the team as a whole!!
They lived on a daily allowance of £15 per day which is much less than a cab fare
All in all, just as a mark of respect to the first team to ever bring glory to 🇮🇳 in any international tournament, I would surely watch it again a second time over
NB: this is my first attempt at a movie review, ever