Iqbal - takes a hatrick !!!

I thought of making the title "hits a sixer" but then the movie "IQBAL" is about a bowler. Hence the hatrick in the title...

Recently I and my wife watched the movie "Iqbal" after a friend's recommendation and borrowing his DVD itself. It was very refreshing.

The movie is about a poor village boy, illiterate, deaf and dumb, but with incredible innate cricketing talent and desire to make it to the top. In spite of various obstacles, he teams with a local village drunk (amazing effort by Nasseruddin Shah), defies the odds and makes it all the way.

What caught our attention is -

• Just six main characters - in fact, a significant role is played by non-humans as well. Our own revered Kapil Paaji appears in the end to give a finishing touch. I felt 20yrs younger seeing my boyhood role model - the Haryana Hurricane.


• No stupid songs, no unnecessary scenes or dances, no masala, nothing cinematic at all.


• Amazing contribution by the cast - other than naseeruddin shah and girish karnad, no big names, which helps us see them as the character themselves.
  


• Inspiring music and pleasing cinematography which gels seamlessly with the story.

Though one cannot help thinking about Lagaan, this movie is markedly different from that. In fact, the only parallels I have seen are some sub-standard american movies about futball/baseball coach making a talented youngster great etc etc. But this movie stands apart with its simplistic yet powerful approach, sensible dialogues, great performances and non-cinematic approach. Subhash Ghai surely deserves praise that too long after I had branded him as show-man kind after the likes of Taal and Kalnayak .

I have to dedicate a paragraph to Naseeruddin Shah - role-defining performance of a cricketer-turned-drunkard. His eagerness in trying to convey a cricketing tip to Iqbal but being forced to wait for his sister's sign language translation - the expression/body language in that one scene - makes him a legend. He is an unsung talent deprived of his true credit by the masala world.

I never thought I would post a movie review in my blog. But it deserves it. My rating - "I would just say I ended up buying my friend's DVD itself immediately for my collection". BTW, the DVD quality is great, in particular audio fidelity. Please do NOT watch this movie for free online at least rent it. I am surprised this movie that got released in 2005 dint cross my radar till now. Better late than never.

Attached Photo is that of my own DVD from my D40. Had that Indian cricket-y blue color that was really cool.