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Movie Review — Azhar

Dramatic innings

Most stories on sports are about god like icons. Azhar however is about the fallen hero. In people’s minds and popular imagination Mohammad Azharuddin, one of India’s most successful captains and an ace batsman, remains etched as one caught in a match fixing scandal.

Dramatic innings

A poster of Azhar



Nonika Singh

Most stories on sports are about god like icons. Azhar however is about the fallen hero. In people’s minds and popular imagination Mohammad Azharuddin, one of India’s most successful captains and an ace batsman, remains etched as one caught in a match fixing scandal. Azhar the film expectedly tries to elevate his position in sporting history. Even though it takes the bull by the horns and begins with match fixing allegations that brought down the curtains on his glorious cricketing career. 

 Before you presume the film is the last word on the cricketer, well at the very onset it sets the record straight. The extended disclaimer proclaims the film is not a biopic. Nor does it make any holy claims on veracity or authenticity. Most biopics are following this easy route. However, as these mix fact with fiction the viewer remains on uncertain ground---what is real and what is reel. Certainly the basics are to the point. Azharuddin was born in Hyderabad, scored three centuries back to back in his debut series, rose to become India's captain and did marry twice. The film retains the original crux, even names while cleverly cutting out the surnames. So there is Kapil, Manoj and Ravi all of them complete mismatch physically though. The director has actually paid little attention to finer nuances of cinematic detail. Be it the backdrop or the look of the 1990s or the creation of peripheral characters much is below par. Yet he compensates by pitching up the drama. The colorful life of Azhar anyway is sufficient to keep the film powered enough to grab your attention. Till the interval you are all ears and eyes. Where the film skids is when it constructs his romance with Sangeeta. Nargis Fakhri is a complete washout as his beloved (later wife) and derails the film even further. But the court case, though a trifle over the top (with Kunaal Roy Kapoor and Lara Dutta sparring enthusiastically), as well as cricketing performances interspersed within are riveting enough.

The narrative strikes an emotional chord too especially as it goes back in time to establish Azhar’s relationship with his maternal grandfather the man who put him on to the cricketing path. 

Cricket and cinema are akin to religion in India and one would expect the combination to be volatile. Well, Azhar isn't quite that heady cocktail that will hook the nation or keep you on the edge as some nail-biting cricket matches do. But strictly from entertainment point of view, the one thing the film promises--aap ke manoranjan ke liye—and delivers, it does offer more than watchable fare.  Emraan Hashmi is competent enough to make you forget he looks nowhere like Azharuddin.

He gets many of the mannerisms right, though of course his unwarranted smiles at certain junctures are distracting. But overall he builds enough empathy for his character (one expects more grey shades though) the main premise and purpose of the film.  His chemistry with Prachi Desai playing his first wife too is tantalizing. No doubt, the film has been structured strictly from the former cricketer’s perspective and gives him a clean chit too. Whether you agree or disagree with the final verdict the film doles out, it does reprise and effectively reminds you of many of his cricketing feats.

The release of the film has also become an occasion for his detractors to voice their criticism and he is once again being indicted. If others including cricketers and former officials are free to express themselves, as a former captain he certainly deserves to have his say even if it comes by way of masala fare. 

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