As we get ready to watch the Summer Olympics on our TV screens, watching Maidaan on Prime Video will get you ready for the battle on the Olympic gold.
Boney Kapoor’s Maidaan is based on a true story about Syed Abdu Rahim played by Ajay Devgn, coach of Indian football (soccer) team and his struggle to win gold at the Olympics.
Rahim eyes the 1956 Olympics as he sets out to choose the team with players from all over India. The film is not just the struggle for the gold with political detractors but also Rahim’s struggle with lung cancer.
The climax if the film in the final gold medal match between India and South Korea at the Asian Games 1962 where Rahim motivates the footballers with a speech on the power of one. He says while there will be 11 players on the field, it will be ‘one’ team. Rahim had to agree to cut down his team in order to compete as opponents didn’t think the team could win.
Israel and Tiwan were boycotted from those games because of the politics of the time. There is a call for the Boycott of Israel in the coming Summer Olympics in France. While Israel is competing in the these Olympics, Palestine will also be competing.
There is a lot of drama and intrigue in the film as we see a young country just after impendence from British rule and about regional and religious politics as country tries to define itself on the national stage. We also see discrimination Indian team has to face abroad during international competition.
Devgn’s seasoned performance as Rahim is compelling. The film was release in April in time for Eid and is not on Prime Video in time for the Summer Olympics and India’s Independence Day celebrations in August.