Never before had I witnessed any Indian movie receiving a standing ovation for 11 straight minutes in the theater hall until today. It may sound bewildering but it’s a truth I have seen and felt in my guts. The Kabir Khan-directed 83 movie stands tall in the victory house of the history of Indian cinema.
83 the movie is based on the Indian cricket team’s victory in the World Cup of 1983, under the captainship of Legendary cricketer Kapil Dev. An event that we have read about and known about since we were practically born and re-iterated by our parents and grandparents. India’s first victory in the World Cup, an event worth being cherished every day.
I have to say that I have never been entirely a fan of any kind of sports movie and initially, 83 the movie wasn’t on my list of the must-watch films of 2021, especially after Marvel’s ‘Spider-man No way Home.’ Against my better judgment, when I ultimately saw the movie in the theater, I was blown away. Here, it is prudent to say that 83 is a movie that you won’t just watch but feel.
“Jeet ke aana”
What made 83 the movie such a success?
The protagonist Kapil Dev, portrayed by Ranveer Singh, has also come across the screen and resonated with the audience in such a way that it can be said that the Film has been a winner in the hearts of the viewers.
Recreating and presenting an event known to everybody is a herculean job and even harder is creating the same kind of excitement and thrill one experiences when the plot is unknown and twisting in every step but in this case, I think, director Kabir Khan has done an exceptionally phenomenal job and aced it to perfection. The film is well presented and combining that with the patriotic theme sung by none other than Arijit Singh, it swells every Indian’s heart with pride.
And I think one of the best things about the movie is that it focuses on each and every character and their storyline with equal importance and people can empathize with their struggles, joy, trepidations, and happiness.
Ranveer Singh along with his team ( Tahir Bhasin, Hardy Sandhu, Jiiva, Chirag Patil, Ammy Virk, Saqib Saleem, and others) have hit the century in the audience’s hearts. Singh takes his character to another level and despite it not being an easy task to emulate Kapil Dev on screen, he was at his flawless best. With his accent, posture, and makeup, Singh has managed to ace the role. Pankaj Tripathy with his particular brand of sunshine, humor, and feels has kept us captivated to the screen.
The crowd’s reaction said it all.
I have laughed, screamed, clapped, and sometimes even cried during the movie; have seen my parents getting nostalgic with the memories of the real 83 world cup as they excitedly shared their sides of the story. 83 the movie has undoubtedly made the audience relive that proud moment, that celebration for days, that unexpected unity that came with that match, as Kapil Dev held the World Cup trophy at Lords, 1983.
83 the movie has played on the nationalism aspect way more than required but that being said 83 is a movie about leadership. Balanced by the perfect blend of humor, happiness, and thrill, it is the ideal movie to watch in the theaters at the end of the year.
About the Author: Samraggi Patra is a first-year student at Manipal Institue of Communication, MAHE.
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