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• This film marks the first collaboration of uncle-nephew duo Anil Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor. Arjun is the son of Anil’s brother Boney Kapoor.
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'Madras' movie review - A film as realistic as it can get

Cast: karthi, catherine tresa alexander, imman annachi, kalaiarasan harikrishnan, rama, jaya rao, vinod, nandakumar, ritwikadirector: p. ranjithrating: ****very few filmmakers can turn an ordinary tale of politics, friendship and revenge into a masterpiece. ranjith is.

Director : P. Ranjith

Rating : ****

Very few filmmakers can turn an ordinary tale of politics, friendship and revenge into a masterpiece. Ranjith is one such filmmaker and his "Madras" is probably the best audiences can get from Tamil cinema this year.

It might be a statement too early to make with three more months left in the year, but not when you go by the standard the industry has set with its films so far.

"Madras" gives us a realistic peek into the lives of middle-class families in a housing board in Vysarpadi, north Madras. It's so realistic that at one point you feel like getting up from your seat and walking through the screen to join the actors, especially when they are playing football, carrom or trying to help Karthi woo his girlfriend.

It's so realistic that it's impossible to get convinced that most of the actors are facing the camera for the first time, yet you sit straight and take notice of their flawless acting.

As cliched as it is to narrate a story from the perspective of the poor and a common man, which has been done to death, "Madras" still has something refreshingly appealing, thanks to Ranjith, who brings into the perspective all facets of life in north Madras.

The heroine, for instance, is far different than how her counterparts are usually portrayed on screen. She's extremely independent and doesn't easily fall for anyone. She has the courtesy to let people stalk her because she thinks it's their freedom, but also has the courage to slap when someone crosses the line. It's a rare character to find in such a milieu because usually women from these areas are portrayed strangely. She even plays an important role in transforming Kaali (Karthi) when he yearns for revenge.

"Madras" is not just about the people in the locality where it's shot. It's also about how politicians use their egos to leverage on the lives of common people and provoke them to promote the culture of violence, which is prevalent in the state even today. And what happens when an ordinary man named Kaali, a techie, decides to strip these leaders of their powers to avenge the death of his friend by his political opponents.

The wall, which becomes the bone of contention, is the best character you could've seen in Tamil cinema this year. Many would've wondered how Ranjith could possibly use a wall to narrate his story, but boy could he do it any better. He surprises with twists at several important junctures. When you highly anticipate the death of a character, it sure doesn't happen. But it happens when you are least expecting it, leaving you totally dumbstruck.

After a series of duds, Karthi's brave attempt has paid off. His performance is easily his next best after his National award winning debut "Paruthiveeran". Ranjith deserves special mention for unleashing the actor who has been dormant inside Karthi, who rises like a phoenix from the ashes in the film. He is backed by actors like Ilavarasan, Hari and Ritwika, who steal the show with their sincere performances. Ilavarasan as Karthi's friend is a far better actor than most Tamil cinema's heroes.

Santosh's music has by now become an integral part of all his films. It goes without saying how important his contribution has become to elevate the overall cinematic experience. He takes "Madras" to a new level with his background score.

Mostly shot at night, cinematographer Murali's work is commendable, particularly in the action sequences with minimum light. Editor Praveen's cuts are becoming sharper with every film and he too contributes greatly to the film's overall experience.

Can a film be made any more realistic? "Madras" will dare filmmakers to attempt it.

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Madras (2014)

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In this Madras film, Karthi , Catherine Tresa played the primary leads.

The Madras was released in theaters on 26 Sep 2014.

The Madras was directed by Pa Ranjith

Movies like Ilayaraja , Rebel , Emakku Thozhil Romance and others in a similar vein had the same genre but quite different stories.

The soundtracks and background music were composed by Santhosh Narayanan for the movie Madras.

The movie Madras belonged to the Action,Romance, genre.

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kathik and kalairasan, hari action very super.wonderful movie. very good

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Madras Movie Review

Review Overview

Performances, screenplay & direction, technical aspects & bgm, cherish the real north madras life on screen.

Ranjith’s Madras is a richly satisfying film which shows North Madras life at its grittiest, stunningly detailed levels. Overall, it is a film with sterling performances, a wholly original story and superlative filmmaking. A great dramatic achievement from Ranjith. A must watch!

Cast: Karthi, Catherine Tresa, Kalaiarasan, Hari, Rama, Jaya Rao, Aadhi, Vinod, Nanda Kumar, Ritwika & Others. 

Cinematography: G. Murali

Music: Santhosh Narayanan

Editing: Praveen KL

Stunts: Anabariv

Art: Ramalingam

Written & Directed by: Pa Ranjith

Production: KE Gnanavel Raja’s Studio Green

Distribution: Dream Factory

PRO: Johnson

Release Date: 26-09-2014

Run Time: 02:31:00

Ranjith’s Madras is a richly satisfiying film which shows North Madras life at its grittiest, stunningly detailed levels. If you have ever a spent a week or so in north madras, you are bound to immensely enjoy the film than others. It’s an exhilarating 155 minutes movie-watching experience.

Never before the inhabitants, the environment and the entire setting of North Madras have been shown with such staggering and immersive realism in a Tamil film. That’s what makes Madras one of the best films of the year and Ranjith, an extra-ordinary filmmaker and an absolute talent to watch out for.

Just when you think you’ve had enough of gangster or politics based movies, comes this fascinating thrill, an in-depth look at the life of people in north madras. Madras is a relentless experience about the singleminded pursuit of ‘wall promotions’, the only high-profile visibility a politician can get among the countryside households. The story revolves around a giant wall. When a political party called Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam is split into two, the ownership of the wall becomes the million-dollar question between the divided parties. Since then, the wall keeps witnessing never-ending turf war, mysterious murders and political desires. Jayabalan of Aadukalam fame as the towering figure on the gigantic wall appears to be the most perfect choice in the cast. So, who does the wall belong to?

Ranjith’s filmmaking breaks conventions and possesses a stylisitic boldness which makes the happenings on screen highly refreshing. His exhaustive details lend verisimilitude to the near-flawless writing.  Ranjith doesn’t show the people in north madras as poverty-stricken, loud-mouthed ranters. He shows the other side of the people, which is often overlooked in films made here. Kaali (Karthi) is a software professional, teens in the neighborhood practice cycling regularly, they participate in dance competitions (which is also why you will see a bunch of dancers perform to almost every song in the film), they passionately play football in the nights, they play carrom for timepass and most importantly, they are interested in politics – which is why you will see them wear Che Guevara pictured, Manchester United logo-printed t-shirts. The women are independent, sympathetic and brave – example, Kalaiarasi’s (Catherine Tresa) beautifully constructed character arc. Catherine Tresa has neatly pulled off the role with her cute expressions and razor-sharp dialogue delivery with a tinge of north madras slang. Her chemistry with Karthi is etched so well that even a forced romantic portion and a momentum-cursing Aagayam Theepidicha song in the second half seem bearable. The camaraderie among people oozes a new mood of realism and never once it feels forced. There is a genuine authenticity in Ranjith’s characters and their attributes, which is the big success of his writing.

Hari, who plays Johnny, leaves you in splits with an effortless performance whenever he appears on screen; his will be a character to remember. Kalaiarasan, who plays Anbu, has delivered a superb performance as Kaali’s (Karthi) friend and as a husband to Ritwika, who plays Marry and comes across as quite a natural performer. Ranjith has aesthetically shot the intimacy between a husband and wife. Rama as Kaali’s doting, prideful mother is a scream and even Kaali’s grandmother chips in with amusing wisecracks here and there. Madras is easily Karthi’s best film after Paruthiveeran. Karthi as the hot-tempered, naïve and fearless Kaali is an absolute delight to watch on screen.

You can’t praise highly enough the contributions of the ensemble here, kudos to Ranjith for extracting the most assuring performances from his cast. The staging of the engament scene between Karthi and Catherine Tresa is the most enjoyable part of the film in the second half.

Technically, the film, spearheaded by cinematographer Murali’s splendid work and editor Praveen KL’s meticulous cuts, is first-class. While Murali’s lens makes the film thematically significant, Praveen’s editing gives the film its spirit in friendship and love scenes and a stomach-churning experience in fight scenes. While Murali’s camera painstakingly captures the ethos of north madras, Praveen’s editing keeps the proceedings engaging and offers a fascinating experience for the viewers. One wonders where Murali kept his camera while shooting the fight/chase scenes in the tapered roads of the locality. And, watch out for Praveen’s masterly one-minute long montage scene in the first half when a group of rivals device a sketch to execute the opponent. This artful chemistry between Praveen and Murali is also one of the cornerstones of film’s success.

Anbariv’s stunts are riveting, especially the pre-interval chase and the climax stunt. What a dream year Santhosh Narayanan is having! His background score elevates even the most traditional scenes to an entirely different level. Unlike Jigarthanda, where Santhosh used an eclectic range of scores for a variety of scenes, here, he has retained recurring themes for fight scenes and romance portions. And, the most resonating track of all is the 70-second odd Suvar theme, which comes at different junctures of the film and never feels boring, thanks to Murali’s visuals too. The sole regret in the film is the hurried last fifteen minutes, which could be excused when you have made a solid film on the whole.

Overall, Madras is a film with sterling performances, a wholly original story and superlative filmmaking. A great dramatic achievement from Ranjith. A must watch!

Written by  Surendhar MK

Follow @MadrasBachelor

Madras Movie Review Rating:  3.75/5

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Madras Movie Review by Common Man:

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Madras – Karthi desperately needs a Hit. He joins hands with Director Ranjith, who managed to attract most of the sections of the audience with his debut movie ‘’Attakathi’’. Due to Karthi’s earlier movies, there was not much expectation for this movie among the audience. Songs by Santhosh Narayanan and trailer created some expectation for the movie. Let us see whether Karthi manages to make a comeback through Madras & satisfies the Common Man in this review.

Story – It is about the life of an angry Common Man, who lives in North Madras.

Karthi – He almost spent 4 years for his first 2 movies (Paruthi Veeran & Aayirathil Oruvan), which shows the passion of him towards Cinema. He is a good actor, but had failed to select proper script in the last 2 years.  But, this time, he has given more importance to the script, than his characterization and it has worked out completely for him. Even people, who criticized him for his earlier movies, will start praising him after watching his performance in this movie. He is back with a bang.

Catherine Teresa – She makes a decent debut in Tamil Cinema. She looks beautiful without much makeup in the first half and her makeup in the second half in most of the scenes were bad. Her dubbing could have been better.

Cinematographer Murali – He has experimented various lighting and angles, which has really come out well. Locations in the movies were limited, but he makes sure that audience doesn’t feel it.

Editor Praveen – Each and every scene was edited brilliantly in the first half. First half will engage the audience completely without any doubt. Second half was little dragging and it would have been better if post-interval portions were edited to some extent.

Music Director Santhosh Narayanan – He is one of the biggest talent in Tamil Cinema without any doubt. His BGM & all the songs were too good. Thanks to the Director for not having Duet songs in Switzerland or item songs for the Villain in the movie.

Director Ranjith – He shows his full potential in the second movie itself. He has to be hugely appreciated for taking a realistic movie and delivering it commercially with awesome dialogues & wonderful casting.  Each and every actor, including Atmosphere artists have given their best. People will be unable to hear few dialogues spoken by Johny & Karthi’s grandma in the movie, as there would be huge claps for those dialogues. First half will definitely engage all the sections of the audience without any doubt, as each and every scene is shot superbly. Interval Block raises huge curiosity for the second half and it is one of the best in recent time. No one must have expected such an interval block. But, the second half drags to some extent and ends with engaging cinematic commercial climax.

Overall, Karthi is Back with a Bang.

First Half –  3.5  / 5 & Second Half –  2.5  / 5

Rating of this movie by Common Man -  3 / 5

Rating of this movie for people who loved Pudhupettai, Pollathavan, Jigarthanda & Cult movie lovers –  3.5  / 5

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"Madras Cafe" arrives in cinemas on the wave of heated controversy; its depiction of Tamil rebels in the midst of the Sri Lankan Civil War has led to outraged protests and a de facto ban on the film in Tamil Nadu even though it's technically been cleared for release there. On the other hand, the Times of India hailed "Madras Cafe" for "div[ing] boldly into material Bollywood hasn't touched before" and for featuring "research, respect, and bravely—no songs" in a four-star (out of five) review, which concludes by warning audiences, "If you like typical Hindi movie masala, unrealistic action or melodrama, this movie is not for you." One could not be blamed, under these circumstances, for expecting "Madras Cafe" to be something revolutionary, or at the very least a provocation, which is why the most shocking thing about it is how dull it is.

A fictionalized—at times more thinly than others—account of the Indian government and intelligence community's actions in the buildup to the 1991 assassination of prime minister Rajiv Ghandi, "Madras Cafe" is told through the eyes of (fictional) protagonist Vikram Singh ( John Abraham , who also produced), a military man/intelligence operative pitted against Tamil rebels in Sri Lanka. Vikram finds his efforts thwarted by corruption in his own agency, and eventually stumbles on an international conspiracy to assassinate the (in the movie) ex-prime minister, whom they see as hostile to their business and political interests.

The story itself is an interesting one to say the least, but director Shoojit Sircar and his writers drop the ball badly. The choices about what to fictionalize are confusing, as they might as well have made a documentary except for placing the blame for the assassination definitively on the Tamil rebels; the name of the group and its leader are changed but are still clearly meant to suggest their real-life counterparts. Given Sircar's frequent, direct allusions to Oliver Stone's " JFK ," this is almost as if Stone had spent his three strident, passionate hours coming to the conclusion that Lee Harvey Oswald shot Kennedy.

"JFK" quotes—which include a scene where a character who hasn't appeared in the rest of the movie shows up and explains the entire story to the protagonist—aside, "Madras Cafe" most resembles Hollywood films like "Blood Diamond" and "Proof of Life," where American protagonists travel to embattled foreign lands to observe and be moved by strife; Mumbai native John Abraham playing a hero who journeys muscularly to Sri Lanka to get to the bottom of things is a direct analogue. The movie awkwardly positions his fictional character to be on-scene in real-life events, with the climax in particular being a particularly, dare one say, melodramatic example.

The film's dullness is less Sircar's fault and more that of the contemporary Western cinema he draws on so heavily, with its fascination with "gritty" "realism" and the idea that a shaky handheld camera is the entirety of cinema verite. The camera shakes plenty in "Madras Cafe," particularly in the action scenes, which feature plenty of jump-scare bullet ricochet sound effects. But the absence of any sense of where anyone is in relation to anyone else undermines the realism, making the scenes chaotic and ultimately enervating rather than thrilling.

The actors mostly do their best with difficult material. John Abraham plays his stereotypical role as well as he can, and while unspectacular he isn't bad at all. Nargis Fakhri suffers as a British journalist (with, alas, Fakhri's own American accent) given nothing to play. In her defense, it's hard to tell where bad writing ends and bad acting begins in "Madras Cafe." It's virtually identical to the kind of assembly-line American "serious" would-be prestige movies that directors like Ed Zwick and Taylor Hackford crank out in misbegotten doomed bids for Oscar nominations, and just as forgettable in the particulars.

It's really a shame "Madras Cafe" is so inert, because, as above, the things it's about—espionage, geopolitics, corruption—are interesting, and the specific area in which all those subjects play out is one that hasn't been overdone as a film subject, especially outside of South Asia. If, somehow, "Madras Cafe" leads to a movie being made about the Sri Lankan conflict that's actually good, then it will have accomplished something, but until then, it's really not much.

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Film credits.

Madras Cafe (2013)

John Abraham as Vikram Singh

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'Maidaan' Review: Ajay Devgn strikes gold, yet again

'maidaan' movie review: a biopic on the life of pioneering football coach, syed abdul rahim, the ajay devgn film immortalises the unsung hero..

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• 'Maidaan' will release in theatres on April 11 worldwide
• The film is a biographical drama on the life of football coach, Syed Abdul Rahim
• Ajay Devgn plays the lead role in the film

Cast & Crew

Release Date: 9 Apr, 2024

India celebrated its 'golden era' in football, even earning the moniker of 'Brazil of Asia' in the 1950s. During this time, with players like Chuni Goswami, P K Banerjee, Peter Thangaraj, Tulsidas Balaram, Jarnail Singh, and Pradyut Barman, the team ended in fourth place at the 1956 Olympics and won gold at the Asian Games in 1951 and 1962. While they played hard on the turf, Syed Abdul Rahim was the man who created and coached this team.

'Maidaan' , starring Ajay Devgn, aces the job of celebrating the passion and love of 'Rahim saab' towards the sport and how he put India on the world map.

However, the film is not jingoistic or only highlights his big feats - it's more about the roadblocks he faced during his stint. It's about how he fought politics, media animosity, and regional biases to build a team that could fight against the best.

'Maidaan' is about a family that stands by this man's deep passion, asking him to choose football rather than spend his last few months with them. It is about how ' jazbaa ' (enthusiasm) is all that you need to fight the toughest opponents on any field. And when you are 'that' good at what you do, you do win over your naysayers one day.

Director Amit Ravindernath Sharma is used to making 30-second advertisements, and 'Maidaan' gives him a chance to helm something more than 300 times longer. He did falter in the first half of the 180-minute film, as the slow pace tests your patience. However, in the second half, he headbutts it out of the park with an engaging screenplay and some delightful camera work.

Special mention to sports directors of photography, Fyodor Lyass, Tassaduq Hussain, and Christopher Reed. Given football is a sport of movement, probably for the first time, go-pro cameras have been used in a feature film, adding to the nail-biting experience. The matches are gripping and make you cheer for the players and even shed a tear at their failure.

Also, the best biopic or period film is the one that makes you want to Google more about it. 'Maidaan' scores full points with that, as many in the audience were slyly searching more about the players or even the tournaments that Syed Abdul Rahim coached, while in the theatre.

After '83', this film has also struck gold when it comes to casting. The team not only got actors who looked like the original players but also trained them to play like professionals. Chaitanya Sharma aka Slow Cheeta and Amartya Ray stand out as PK Banerjee and Chuni Goswami. So do Davinder Gill and Tejas Ravishankar as Jarnail Singh and Peter Thangaraj, respectively. Priyamani, as Rahim's wife, may have just a few scenes, but her pleasant screen presence and highly expressive face do leave an impact.

Coming to Ajay Devgn , the superstar is on a roll after 'Shaitaan' emerged as a sleeper hit earlier this year. He sheds his 'Singham' personality and embodies the part of the coach so naturally. He is known to emote through his eyes, and he does that in 'Maidaan' so well. Even with a quiet demeanour and subtle personality, he stands his ground with his players and the authorities. The film also allowed him to tap into many shades of a human personality, as Rahim tries to perfect the part of a husband, father, and coach. He is also marvellous in the emotional scenes, especially when he sees the love of his life - football - slipping away from him.

However, we would have to give a yellow card to the dialogue and music department of the film. Apart from the 'Team India' song, none of the AR Rahman compositions really stand out in the film.

Given that sports films are high on adrenaline, we also expected some more dialoguebaazi that could pump things up. There is an SRK-esque '70-minute' coach diktat like 'Chak De', as Rahim talks about the power of 'one' as a team and position in the game. But given Rahim's soft personality, the makers may have chosen to underplay it, keeping things quite non-dramatic.

However, one of the sequences where Ajay's character calls out a senior sports journalist, Roy Choudhury (played brilliantly by Gajraj Rao), and uses Elvis Presley's statement - 'Don't criticise what you don't understand. You never walked in that man's shoes' - did have the theatre whistling.

' Maidaan ' is not only a treat for football enthusiasts but also quite a delight for movie lovers. It immortalises the unsung hero, after whom India never qualified for the Olympics. Rahim, in one scene, says ' Kismat haathon se nahi, pairon se likhi jaati hai (destiny is written by foot, not hands)'. While it was the truth back then, you realise in reality, luck favours the brave, and SA Rahim was truly Indian football's Braveheart.

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Maidaan movie review: Ajay Devgn’s Eid 2024 release among India’s ‘finest sports-based films’, says Taran Adarsh

Maidaan movie review: ajay devgn’s eid 2024 release has received wholesome backing from trade analyst taran adarsh, who lauded the acting performances of devgn, gajraj rao and rudranil ghosh, and said the movie was among india’s ‘finest sports-based films.’.

Maidaan movie review: Ajay Devgn’s Eid 2024 release 'Maidaan' is making all the right noises ahead of its release. Calling it “POWER-PACKED", trade analyst Taran Adarsh said the Ajay Devgn’ starrer “is, without doubt, one of the finest sports-based films made" in India.

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“Captivating second half, brilliant finale and an award-worthy act" by the ace Bollywood actor, he posted on X (formerly Twitter). According to him, it’s a “fitting tribute" to Team India and Coach Syed Abdul Rahim, the architect of modern Indian football, who coached the national men's team between 1952 and 1962.

“First half is strictly okay, with few striking moments, but it’s the post-interval portions that change the graph completely. The second half abounds in dramatic highs and goosebump moments, while the penultimate match and finale elevates the narrative to an all-time high," Adarsh wrote in a pre-release review.

Amit Ravindernath Sharma, known for Tevar, Badhaai Ho and Lust Stories 2, gets a lot of praise for his storytelling prowess from Adarsh.

“He proves his credentials yet again with Maidaan. His handling of dramatic portions deserves brownie points. Also, the simmering tension between Ajay Devgn, Gajraj Rao and Rudranil Ghosh is handled with utmost maturity, without going overboard," the Bollywood trade analyst wrote.

Taran Adarsh also cited parts of the sports biopic that could have been better.

Also Read: ' Ask Shah Rukh Khan why KKR didn't retain me,' Shubman Gill tells ED Sheeran

“The first half could’ve been sharper in terms of writing. Also the run time could’ve been controlled. Besides, AR Rahman’s music is plain mediocre, although the maestro compensates the shortcoming with an exhilarating BGM," he added.

Maidaan acting performances

“Ajay Devgn shines in a role that only an actor of calibre could’ve essayed with flourish. He’s the soul of Maidaan. Gajraj Rao is top notch, while Rudranil Ghosh is superb," Taran Adarsh wrote.

Also Read: Bollywood movies Q1 2024 vs 2023: Shah Rukh Khan factor, Siddharth Anand’s dominance and more; check detailed numbers

He, however, does not expect Box Office “fireworks" right from the beginning as he believes the movie will depend on “word of mouth" publicity. Adarsh expects bigger centres to offer bigger business.

Maidaan hits the theaters  tomorrow, April 10.

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'Maidaan' review: The film honours Rahim saab, his legacy, India’s golden not-so-distant past

The film is strongest when it is with Ajay Devgn or on the field

Director Amit Sharma's  Maidaan , starring Ajay Devgn as Syed Abdul Rahim, the Indian football team's coach from 1950 to 1963, is not a perfect film by many measures. 

At 3.02 hours, it is way too long. Its story arc and plot are what they usually are in films about an underdog team’s impossible journey from ashes to glory, a la  Lagaan  and  Chak De! India . The film generously uses sports film tropes we are all too familiar with— morally hideous and jealous men, smarmy officials, an apathetic minister, sports federations that are run like personal fiefdoms, and racist opponents abroad—and frames every match as a matter of honour.

Yet  Maidaan , which traces the journey of Indian football from a debilitating defeat at the Olympics to its rise as a formidable team that took on France and Australia under Rahim saab, has a pulsating heart that gently gathers pace and power to end on a thrilling, moving note.

Maidaan  tells an important story of a forgotten legend and a glorious chapter in Indian football. And its brilliance lies in how it tells that story. 

In the film, Ajay Devgn doesn't play a Muslim coach. He plays a master tactician and a motivating disciplinarian who changed how Indian footballers were selected, how they trained and played. Draped in ethics and warm shawls, he is the emotional core of the film around whose dedication and sharp focus a team rises.

In  Maidaan ’ P.K. Banerjee, Chuni Goswami and Tulsidas Balaram are not the holy trinity of Indian football, nor is Neville D’Souza the man who netted a hattrick at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. All of them, along with Fortunato Franco, Peter Thangaraj, D Ethiraj, Tulsidas Balaram, Yousuf Khan, SS Hakim, Jarnail Singh and Ram Bahadur Chetri, are beads in a string that the film puts together to recreate a past where the golden era of football was possible only because it was also the golden era of a nation that saw beauty and strength in its diversity.

‘Maidaan’ doesn't shout out its secular credentials, nor does it beat us with lectures on national integration. It simply shows the power of inclusivity in subtle but significant ways, in ways that conjure the spirit of that soul-stirring 1980s song, 'Mile Sur Mera Tumhara'.

The film begins in 1952, at the Helsinki Olympics, where the Indian football team suffers a humiliating defeat: Yugoslavia 10, India 1. 

“Shame” screams the headline of a newspaper in Kolkata whose balding, conceited, cigar-puffing owner, Prabhu Ghosh (Gajraj Rao), considers himself a football expert. He believes and writes that the Indian team is not worthy of competing internationally, especially not the ragtag team that Rahim has put together.

Many members of the football federation are also seething. Led by Shubhankar (Rudranil Ghosh), they accuse Rahim of favouring non-entities from his hometown, Hyderabad, and ignoring Kolkata's famous football club heroes. 

“I will take full responsibility for the next defeat, if you give me full authority," Rahim counters and is, willy-nilly, given another chance. 

He returns home briefly, where we are introduced to his kids and wife (played by Priyamani). She is learning to speak in English, hates that he chain-smokes, but likes the gifts he gets her. Rahim sets out again, to look for talent in small gullies and towns. 

Every time he visits a state or a city, its name appears on the screen in its script: Secunderabad in Telugu, Kerala in Malayalam. It's clever and delightful.

After some light moments with the players at the training camp, and practice sessions where Rahim shares tips and tricks on how to tackle opponents, how to dribble less and pass the ball faster, the team is off to the 1956 Melbourne Olympics where India beats Australia on the field and in swag. And then they are off again, to the next Olympics in Rome where India is placed in the “Group of death” — with Hungary, Peru and France. India loses two matches, but draws with France — 1-1. 

Finally, after many indignities, tragedies, terrible lows and one needless song, Rahim saab and his boys are off to Jakarta Asian Games in 1962, where hostilities are high, but stakes are even higher.

Sports films are tough to direct and shoot. Either the sporting action is too little, or it's too dull and drags the film down. Sporting biopics, especially the ones with stars at their centre, often just showcases of how hard the stars worked to gain or lose this much weight and how they puffed up this and that muscle. 

Director Amit Sharma, who made the adorable 2017 film,  Badhaai Ho! , setting off a trend of films set in bickering, middle-class families in small flats, has hit the big league with  Maidaan . 

His direction is assured and his storytelling is compelling. Though  Maidaan  is not  Lagaan  or  Chak De , it is one of Bollywood’s best sports films.

What lets him down is the writing.

Maidaan ’s story and screenplay — credited to eight writers — uses filmy cliches and stock characters, and I couldn’t understand why the writers could not come up with something more than humiliation as the only motivator for the footballers.

A few incidents that are shown in the film — like anti-India protests during the Jakarta games, after an Indian official criticised the hosts for not allowing Israel and Taiwan to participate — are true. But in  Maidaan , every match is framed in some sort of flagrant, public humiliation, either of the footballers by foreigners, or of Rahim by Shubhankar and Prabhu, and the film's message basically seems to be that Indian sportsmen strive for excellence only when they, their country or their coach's honour is at stake. If it is not, then they are, you know, a bit meh.

Thankfully,  Maidaan  steers clear of jingoism, but in moments of the team’s victory, it is in salute mode to something higher than the game they just played. 

Sharma has used the services of two teams of cinematographers and editors in  Maidaan . Fyodor Lyass shot the football bits and Shahnawaz Mosani edited those. The rest of the film, which creates a nostalgic past in sepia mood, was shot by Tushar Kanti Ray and edited by Dev Rao Jadhav.

The film is strongest when it is with Devgn or on the field. Shot intelligently and edited sharply, Sharma keeps the film's focus on its strengths and treats the rest as sideshows and surround sound. 

When the film begins, the football matches are frantic. We see dismembered legs running, feet kicking, torsos falling, as if the camera were embedded in the football. It's over-edited by design, has a dizzying effect and leaves you exhausted, with no sense of what you have watched. 

But as the film progresses, the editing and pacing calm down to let the drama, on- and off-field, build up. We watch Rahim's tactics in play, and are treated to soaring moments of individual brilliance and exciting teamplay. 

This is where, in its second half,  Maidaan  hits a nerve and then tugs at it gently, drawing us into its world, making the team’s win our personal win, and upholding Rahim saab’s legacy a moral imperative. The last few matches in Jakarta are especially riveting and turn up the film's emotional quotient.

Ajay Devgn as a coach whose life's worth depends on how his team performs is very good throughout the film. Contained and quiet, he acts and speaks with his eyes and body. Especially towards the end, in Jakarta, when the film begins to lean into melodrama and nationalism, Devgn’s character stands apart as a gifted, dogged sentinel who believes in his own and his team's worth. 

Gajraj Rao and Rudranil Ghosh are both excellent as the evil plotters. My problem with Rao's character was again the predictable arc of a hater who must, eventually, become the beholder and worshiper of genius. Despite this joyless characterisation, Rao brings some joy to his character and gives it some heft. 

Priyamani is a very fine actress, but here she begins in a cutesy way. The script infantilises her character with sweet, silly English of which only one line was funny. But later, in two scenes, when the script lets her step out of the cute-girl act, she makes the screen sizzle.

Maidaan  doesn’t delve much into the backgrounds and family lives of the footballers. But it gives many of them a distinct personality and all of them play their part in ways that are memorable. Amongst them, Davinder Gill as Jarnail, and Chaitanya Sharma as PK Banerjee stand out.

Few Bollywood biopics do justice to the men and women whose stories they tell.

Syed Abdul Rahim was a teacher in Hyderabad who began his football coaching career with the Hyderabad City Police, turning it into one of the best clubs in the country, and then changed the course of Indian football. 

On Rahim saab’s passing, Goan footballer Fortunato Franco said, “With him, he took Indian football to the grave.”

Maidaan honours Rahim saab, his legacy and India’s glorious, golden not-so-distant past.

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