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sattar minute, sattar minute hai tumhare paas…”. Shah Rukh Khan’s iconic lines from Chak De! India is remembered to date. The expressions, the patriotic feeling and of course, Shah Rukh Khan makes the monologue the heart of Chak De! India. The film is more of an emotion than a movie. Written by Jaideep Sahni, the Shimit Amin directorial venture, that will turn 15 on August 10, has become especially relevant now thanks to the exemplary performances by the women’s and men’s hockey teams at Tokyo Olympics 2020.

The Indian women’s hockey team may have lost the semis against Argentina at Tokyo Olympics 2020, but the sounds of Chak De! India kept resonating in our ears as the team made it to their maiden Olympic semis. No mean feat. On the other hand, the men’s hockey team won the bronze at the Games, 41 years after Moscow Olympics 1980. So, since hockey is the mood of the nation now, we dedicate our Throwback Thursday to the brilliance that was Chak De! India and what makes it a cult classic.

HOW CHAK DE INDIA TACKLES SEXISM, RACISM, STEREOTYPING AND ENCOURAGED WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

Chak De! India was a story of Indians who gave their best to make the country proud. The story creates a bridge between the women athletes in the country and the audience. Chak De! India narrates a fictional story about the Indian women’s national field hockey team, that was loosely inspired by the Indian team’s win at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

SRK impresses us with his performance as the captain of the Indian team, Kabir Khan, who misses a do-or-die penalty shootout against arch-rival Pakistan in the final of a world championship. The loss created national outrage and triggered charges of match-fixing, leading to his ouster. Years later, he returns as the coach of the women’s hockey team, and as he pushes them towards their goal, he redeems his lost honour too.

Chak De! India managed to arouse many emotions, including that of patriotism, anger against sexism and, of course, an insight into the prevalent racism in the country. SRK’s determination to make 11 women work together and play together, erasing the idea of state and inculcating the idea of one nation, touches your heart.

This was the first film in many years that concentrated on a sport other than cricket. Moreover, it concentrated on a women’s game, something so rare in the country. At the same time, the film broke many stereotypes. It was a film way ahead of its time.

PERFORMANCES THAT STAYED WITH YOU FOR YEARS

Minus the occasional hamming, Shah Rukh Khan as Kabir Khan goes out of the way to touch your heart with his performance. Right from the hurt he felt when he was ousted from the men’s hockey team to the pride in his eyes when the women’s hockey team wins, SRK beautifully portrays all the emotions with extreme ease.

But, Chak De! India is not a one-man show. All 11 girls who played a part of the women’s hockey team in the film were debutants who performed brilliantly. The star cast included Vidya Malavade, Anaitha Nair, Tanya Abrol, Shilpa Shukla, Arya Menon, Shubhi Mehta, Chitrashi Rawat, Kimi Laldawla, Masochon Zimik, Sandia Furtado, Nichola Sequeira, Sagarika Ghatge, Kimberly Miranda, Raynia Mascerhanas, Nisha Nair. Although all the girls were newcomers, their performance managed to impress. Many have become actors in the Hindi film industry, all thanks to the film.

THE DIALOGUES

One of the things that definitely come to mind when we talk about Chak De! India are the dialogues. The first dialogue that to date has stayed with many Indians who watched the film is Sattar Minute. SRK’s monologue where he addressed all the members of the Indian women’s hockey team in the dressing room was one of the most inspiring cinematic moments we’ve ever seen.

Another dialogue that remains etched in our minds is when SRK made the girls realise that they represent the country and not for their states. The dialogue goes, “Mujhe states ki naam na sunayi dete hai, na dhikai dete hai. Sirf ek mulk ka naam sunayi deta hai, I-N-D-I-A.”

Power-packed performances, strong dialogues and a plot that has stayed with us since 2007, Chak De! India is a masterpiece. Here’s celebrating Chak De! India and more importantly, our Indian women’s and men’s hockey teams for their exemplary performances.

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India today

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