Before Ajay Devgn’s Maidaan, five must-watch football films for sports lovers

Sports films have always been a source of inspiration for audiences. The lives of iconic soccer players have often motivated youngsters to excel in different walks of life. As Ajay Devgn’s Maidaan releases in theatres, we bring you a list of five iconic sports movies. (Also read: Ajay Devgn’s Maidaan to have only evening shows on April 10, wider release on April 11)
Gurinder Chadha’s sports-comedy narrates the story of an Indian origin girl Jasminder Bhamra aka Jess born in London. Her conflict with her traditional Punjabi Sikh families aspirations and her own dreams is depicted in the film. The movie is still relevant as it showcases the reluctance towards women’s sports and the societal norms in Asian cultures. Parminder K Nagra plays the protagonist. Kera Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Anupam Kher also play pivotal characters.
Jafar Panahi’s Iranian sports comedy revolves around the cultural beliefs that prohibit women from participating in sports. The film is about a group of female Iranian soccer lovers who disguise as boys to enter the stadium. However, they are later identified and arrested since women are officially banned from men’s sporting events in Iran. The movie was banned in its home country in spite of being entirely shot there. Offside can be streamed on Prime Video.
Bigil is a Tamil sports action-drama directed by Atlee. The movie is about a young soccer player who gives up on his passion after his father’s murder. However, he later gets an opportunity to relive his dream after his friend convinces him to coach a women’s football team. The movie stars Vijay and Nayanthara in pivotal roles and is available for streaming on Prime Video India.
The Bengali historical sports biopic is based on the life of Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhikari, considered as the father of Indian football. The movie highlights on Nagendra’s courage to challenge the British over a game with the help of his teammates. It shows the inspiring resilience of sportsmen despite colonial oppression. The Dhrubo Berjee directorial stars Dev, Alexx O’Nell, Anirban Bhattacharya, Ishaa Saha, Indrasish Roy, John Bhattacharya, Mirchi Agni and Srikanta Acharya in crucial roles. Golondaaj can be streamed on Disney+ Hotstar.
Amitabh Bachchan plays a retired sports teacher Vijay Barse in Nagraj Manjule’s Jhund. The movie shows Vijay’s inspiring journey in transforming the lives of slum-dwelling children. The veteran actor’s character takes on the difficult task of training the rowdy youngsters in order to keep them away from drugs and crime. Jhund is available for streaming on ZEE5.
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