As the cricket World Cup fever reaches fever pitch, here are five South Indian films that have explored cricket and the complicated human relationships associated with the sport.
Whether you like cricket or not, there is no denying the influence it has on Indian popular culture. Movies about cricket not only explore the sport but also show how it affects various aspects of people’s lives. As the cricket World Cup fever reaches fever pitch, here are five South Indian films that have explored cricket and the complicated human relationships associated with the sport.
5 best South Indian cricket films:
5. Jeeva:
Year of release: 2014
Language: Tamil
Director: Suseenthiran
IMDB rating: 7.6/10
OTT platform: Disney+ Hotstar
Storyline: Jeeva (2014) is one of the few films that subtly addresses the casteism that exists in Tamil Nadu cricket. Jeeva, starring Vishnu Vishal, Sri Divya, Soori, and Lakshman Narayan, follows the stories of two young middle-class boys who want to play cricket professionally and the difficulties that come with it. The film is sensitive and realistic.
4. 1983:
Year of release: 2014
Language: Malayalam
Director: Abrid Shine
IMDB rating: 7.7/10
OTT platform: Netflix
Storyline: 1983 (2014) tells the story of Rameshan, who is unable to pursue his passion for cricket and goes to great lengths to ensure that his son becomes a cricket player. The film stars Nivin Pauly, Anoop Menon, and Nikki Galrani, among others, and is directed by Abrid Shine and co-written by Bipin Chandran. The film is a moving intergenerational story about the impact of a sport like cricket on people, especially following India’s victory in the 1983 Cricket World Cup tournament.
3. Kanaa:
Year of release: 2018
Language: Tamil
Director: Arunraja Kamaraj
IMDB rating: 7.6/10
OTT platform: SonyLiv, MX Player, Zee5, and Amazon Prime Video.
Storyline: Cricket in film has traditionally been dominated by men (much like in real life), but Kanaa (2018) chose to break the mold. Arunraja Kamaraj wrote and directed the film, which stars Aishwarya Rajesh, Sivakarthikeyan, and Sathyaraj in lead roles. The story revolves around young Kousalya, who comes from a small village in Tamil Nadu and aspires to be a cricket player after witnessing her father’s heartbreak following India’s defeat in a World Cup match. The film not only depicts the challenges that a female cricket player faces, but it also delves into issues such as farmer struggles and language politics.
2. Jersey:
Year of release: 2019
Language: Telugu
Director: Gowtam Naidu Tinnanuri
IMDB rating: 8.5/10
OTT platform: Disney+ Hotstar, Zee5
Storyline: Jersey (2019) is a touching story about a 36-year-old man who discovers a second chance to play cricket while scrambling to buy an Indian cricket team jersey for his son. Gowtam Tinnanuri wrote and directed the film, which stars Nani, Shraddha Srinath, and Harish Kalyan among others. The film follows Arjun, a former cricketer who is fired from his government job after being accused of bribery, and how he returns to the game.
1. Daredevil Musthafa:
Year of release: 2023
Language: Kannada
Director: Shashank Soghal
IMDB rating: 8/10
OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video
Storyline: While the central theme of Daredevil Musthafa (2023) is communal harmony, cricket serves as a strong unifying force between Hindu students and the college’s lone Muslim student. The film, directed by debutant Shashank Soghal, is based on a 1973 short story by Poornachandra Tejaswi. The film was crowdfunded by Tejaswi fans and served as a tribute to how cricket bridges many social divides in a country like India.
World Cup 2023:
At Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, India faced New Zealand in the first semifinal of the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023. In a high-octane match, India scored 397/4 in 50 overs. Meanwhile, New Zealand was bowled out for 327 runs, falling short of the target. Cricketer Mohammad Shami has become a celebrity and has conquered the internet.
Indian pacer Mohammad Shami shone with his bowling performance in the high-scoring game. Shami claimed seven wickets in 9.3 overs while allowing 57 runs. It is the first time in ODI history that an Indian bowler has taken seven wickets. Shami’s contribution changed the game’s momentum and helped India qualify for the finals.
According to the Apex Cricket Council, the tournament winner will receive four million US dollars, which is equivalent to INR 33,25,08,400. Meanwhile, the runner-up will receive a prize of two million US dollars, or INR 16,62,54,200. The losing semifinalist teams, South Africa and New Zealand, will receive a total of 800,000 US dollars, which is equal to INR 6,65,01,680.
Head hit the match-winning century as Australia defeated India in the ICC World Cup Test Championship final. In the World Cup final against India, he is batting on 50 off 38 balls. After 22 overs, Australia is 117/3. Cummins and company now require 125 runs.
In the final, the Indian pacer bowled two maiden overs. Overall, ace of the pace Bumrah has bowled the most first-innings overs (9) in the ICC World Cup 2023. After 18 overs, Australia is 95/3. Kuldeep’s fourth over yields only two runs.
So, this was all about the South Indian cricket films. Also read, Salman Khan predicts the IND vs Aus World Cup Final winner.
