Whether one is a cricket fan or not, there is no denying the impact cricket wields on Indian popular culture. Movies on cricket do not only delve into the sport but also offer a peek into how the sport cuts across various aspects of people’s lives. As the cricket World Cup tournament craze reaches fever pitch, here are five south Indian movies that have explored cricket and the complex human relationships associated with the sport:
Jeeva (Tamil)
Written and directed by Susindheeran, Jeeva (2014) is one of the few movies that subtly touches upon the casteism that exists in cricket in Tamil Nadu. Starring Vishnu Vishal, Sri Divya, Soori, and Lakshman Narayan in lead roles, Jeeva follows the stories of two young middle class boys who have aspirations of playing cricket professionally and the struggles that come with it. The movie is sensitive, realistic and an ode to young people who dream of making it big in cricket.
Watch the trailer of Jeeva here:
1983 (Malayalam)
1983 (2014) follows the story of Rameshan who is unable to follow his passion for cricket and goes out of his way to ensure that his son is able to become a cricket player. Directed by Abrid Shine and co-written by Bipin Chandran, the film features Nivin Pauly, Anoop Menon, and Nikki Galrani, among others. The film is a moving intergenerational tale of the impact a sport like cricket has on people, particularly after India’s win in the 1983 Cricket World Cup tournament.
Watch the trailer of 1983 here:
Kanaa (Tamil)
Portrayals of cricket in cinema have predominantly male dominated (much like real life) but Kanaa (2018) chose to break out of this mould. Written and directed by Arunraja Kamaraj, the movie stars Aishwarya Rajesh, Sivakarthikeyan, and Sathyaraj in lead roles. The film revolves around young Kousalya from a small village in Tamil Nadu who aspires to become a cricket player after watching her father be heartbroken post India’s failure in a World Cup match. The film not only presents the obstacles a woman cricket player faces but also delves into subjects like farmers’ struggles and language politics.
Watch the trailer of Kanaa here:
Jersey (Telugu)
Jersey (2019) is a heartwarming tale of a 36-year-old man who stumbles upon a second chance to be a cricket player while scrambling to buy an Indian cricket team jersey for his son. Written and directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri, the movie features Nani, Shraddha Srinath, and Harish Kalyan among others in lead roles. The film follows Arjun, a former cricket player who is fired from his government job after being accused of bribery and how he finds his way back to the sport.
Watch the trailer of Jersey here:
Daredevil Musthafa (Kannada)
While the central theme of Daredevil Musthafa (2023) is communal harmony, cricket becomes an important binding force between Hindu students and the lone Muslim student in a college. Directed by debutant Shashank Soghal, the film is based on a short story by Poornachandra Tejaswi written in 1973. The film was crowd funded by fans of Tejaswi and served as a tribute to how cricket cuts across several social divisions in a country like India.
Watch the trailer of Daredevil Musthafa