600028: Movie Review
ONE WORD REVIEW: REFRESHING
[Disclaimer: All my reviews are susceptible to spoilers, please be sensitized before reading ahead]
Piece of Advice: Avoid it all costs if you have no interest in cricket or have never played road-side cricket.
BUILD UP:
I was a bit apprehensive in taking this DVD know very well that was a movie about cricket. I could never agree that there would be a better cricket movie than Lagaan, my personal all time favorite in Indian movies. But I wanted to give SPB a chance to prove his mettle since he has been a known innovator. He did not disappoint me, but that’s just me in the house.
REVIEW:
The story revolves around a bunch of colony guys playing cricket. Who has not been through this growing up in the streets of India? What begins as a roadside game carries on to bet-matches, then leagues, playoffs and championships. Needlessly long time has been spent on introductions. No one is going to remember so many names, professions and backgrounds when they are hurled on to you within the first 5 minutes of the movie. It is not that these guys are noteworthy or special to remember either. Also, it did not prove useful to understand or follow the movie.
The sequence begins with a close 1-run defeat by the ‘RA Puram Sharks’ (Raja Annamalai Puram = RA Puram = Chennai 600028) to arch rivals the “Royapuram Rockers”. The Rockers spared no efforts to rub it in and this causes the Sharks to vow that they’ll be back next year before SPB begins his introductions mentioned earlier.
The sequence with one the key members of the Rockers having to move due to family circumstances to 600028 was very natural and is part and parcel of life in an Indian Metro with tough commutes. The Rocker, clearly a rookie in the area is snubbed by all the Sharks at the very sight of him. Further, he finds it very hard to attend practice at distant Royapuram and comes directly to a game. He is overlooked by the team selection committee for the playing 11 and feels very very bitter about it. Having been through similar circumstances, I can vouch that this sequence and the part was played to perfection!
In a bit of a cliche, the Rocker, does good to one of the Sharks, thus helping him gain recognition with one of the Sharks. When the Sharks get short handed in a bet match due to emergency, the Rocker comes and plays a star role to win that game for the Sharks. This part of the movie is classic Kolywood cliche.
The comedy sequence of the Sharks losing badly in a bet match against high school kids at the beach was really funny along with the “Aboorva Sagodarargal” sound track in the background. Both the highlighted love sequences in the movie were a needless waste of time and so was the hospitalization of the Sharks’ team captain. One bright side was that it highlighted another key component of road side cricket, comaraderie, without which the whole team comes down to its knees. The minister’s speech at the start of the tournament was very inspirational, even for me. Also inspirational was the reaction of one of the Sharks to the Rocker offering tips to beat his old team, calling him a traitor and calling out his team mates for being short term thinkers.
In the ultimate tournament, the draws reach the final phases and the star teams the Sharks and the Rockers are now slated to meet in the semi-finals instead of a much anticipated finale showdown between the two. The organization committee offers to “match fix” to get the two teams into the finals, the Rockers, who considered themselves as a powerful force, pass on that offer. The semifinal drama between the Sharks sans their captain and the Rockers is a nailbiter of the Lagaan caliber even if it lacks that class or when the stakes are not that high.
SUMMARY
The ending on a comical non-conclusive mode is unique in a cliched Kollywood. Overall the movie is recommended for those who enjoy cricket and surely for those that taken the emotional ride through the sport of road side cricket.
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