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Winning the ’83 Cricket World Cup has been acknowledged as modern India’s greatest sporting achievement after Independence. While our country has always excelled in hockey at the Olympics level, it never emulated that achievement in other sports. And till 1983, we were considered a minnow in the world of cricket. We had some great bowlers and batsmen who have provided us with some great individual records. But the Indian team lacked what's termed as having the winning edge in sports. It had won just one match in the previous two editions of the World Cup. West Indies

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, with its battery of fast bowlers comprising the likes of Michael Holdings, Joel Garner and Andy Roberts, were considered cricketing royalty. Their team was led by Clive Llyod, who was said to have the shrewdest cricketing brain and had Vivian Richards, arguably the best batsman of the era playing for them. They had won the first two trophies and were hot favourites to win the third as well. It was really a David versus Goliath kind of a situation.

 India began badly by losing all its three practice matches. Then, it surprisingly won their first group match against the mighty West Indies, their first ever defeat in all three editions of the world cup. Then, after winning their match against Zimbabwe, they lost heavily to Australia and lost their return leg match against West Indies as well. They had to win their next match against Zimbabwe, and were trailing at 9 runs for four wickets when captain Kapil Dev came out to bat. He went on to make an unbeaten 175 runs and helped India put up a total of 266/8. His score is still the highest knock by a captain in a World Cup. It’s sad that the BBC decided not to telecast the match and hence no video recording of Kapil’s mammoth innings exists. India won the crucial semi-final against England comfortably by six wickets, with Mohinder Amarnath contributing a fine performance by both bat and ball. India put up a low score of 183 runs in the final against the West Indies. Till then, they hadn’t won a limited overs match at the Lords stadium and were expected to lose. However, India put up a fine bowling performance, with both Madan Lal and Amarnath taking three wickets each. They bowled out the opposition for just 140 runs and won an emphatic victory for the country. 

Kapil Dev emerged as the unlikely hero for the Indian cricket team, leading from the front with both bat and ball. His 5/43 against Australia at Trent Bridge was the first time ever an Indian cricketer had finished with a five-wicket haul, and was also the first by a captain in the history of ODI World Cups. He finished with figures of 303 runs, 12 wickets and 7 catches in 8 matches.The team also took home the highest number of wickets – 58, beating the likes of West Indies, England and Australia. 

India had a change of guard just before the World Cup. Sunil Gavaskar was dropped from captaincy in the 1982-83 and the young Kapil Dev was made the captain. No one expected him to lift the trophy, as it was expected he’d have a hard time controlling a team where almost everyone was his senior. But he not only gave a fabulous individual performance, some describing it as the best all-rounder performance in a World Cup, but also won the trust of his teammates through rustic charm. In a documentary-style approach, Kabir Khan faithfully recreates each and every match, taking us through key situations both on and off the pitch. We catch a glimpse of the boys who weren’t the sport icons that they are now but were busy earning their stripes. Indian cricket is flush with riches today but back then it was starved for funds. Cricketers had to wash their own uniforms in hotel bathtubs, clean their own shoes and even make do with bread and pickles as they didn’t have enough money for proper food. In one of the most poignant scenes, we’re told that Balvinder Singh Sandhu’s (Ammy Virk) fiancee broke off the engagement because her family wanted her to marry a man with stable income. Most of the cricket folklore associated with the legendary team, with Ravi Shastri being a ladies man, K Srikanth almost winking at the Queen, to Dilip Vengsarkar (Addinath Kothare) brutally getting hit on the jaw and Kapil Dev’s famous catch against VIv Richards is retold in great detail. The wives arrive for the semi-final and final matches and are shown bonding together. Romi Dev (Deepika Padukone) and Madan Lal’s wife Annu Lal (Wamiqa Gabbi) returned to the team hotel as they thought India was losing and couldn’t get back to the stadium when the match turned around. Their childlike joy as they jump around watching the match on TV brings a smile to your faces. 

It was also said that late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi realised the importance of cricket as a medium to deter the masses from communal violence and made sure to telecast the final live on Doordarshan. Indians were glued to their TV sets during the crucial match and caught the cricket fever in a big way after the World Cup victory. We also see a young Sachin enjoying the celebrations. Cricket is seen as a great leveller and as a tool propagating communal harmony. It’s also alluded that this victory helped us finally shrug off the imperialistic yoke. Director Kabir Khan puts across many ideas through this sports biopic and makes us nostalgic for the much simpler times we lived in. 

It’s Ranveer Singh’s film all the way. He doesn’t mimic Kapil Dev but gives his own interpretation of the sports icon, making us take a glimpse of the soul of the great man. Kapil Dev’s aggression, commitment, patriotism and passion for the game all comes alive in Ranveer’s power-packed portrayal. The earthy earnestness of the braveheart captain seeps through his very pores. He’s played historical characters in the past but has raised the bar higher with this one. Winning the cup required teamwork and here too the teamwork adds another layer to this powerful film. Be it Saqib Saleem, who plays Mohinder Amarnath, Jiiva, who plays K Srikanth, Ammy Virk, who plays Balvinder Singh Sandhu or Nishant Dahiya who plays Roger Binny, everyone is spot on. Pankaj Tripathi is a delight as PR Man Singh, the team manager, who supports his boys and his captain in every way he can. Deepika Padukone adds the much-needed touch of glamour as Romi Dev, standing behind her man like a pillar when he needed it most. 

Watch the film to become better acquainted with one of the most momentous sports victories we’ve ever come across. And for some fine display of acting by the entire cast.