What's so good about it?

Rating: 2/10 (5 March 2008)

Finally watched the movie last night after listening to all the hype and rave reviews by almost all Indians I met. I was afraid the movie may be yet another 'masala' film but with a difference. I was also afraid that I'll come across as a movie with bad direction, a bad script and stereotypes; and unfortunately everything came true.
To be fair, the things going for the movie are:
* Fairly realistic acting, unlike other Hindi movies * Movie ends on a high note * Not a musical, also unlike other Hindi movies * Good casting and locations
However on the flip side:
* Not a great directorial achievement. * Average and predictable story. * Too preachy. * Shahrukh's character displays bad coaching skills. * Plays on stereotypes.
Sports films, if well made, are the ultimate feel good movies because they capitalise on the adrenalin rush that is provided by the sporting encounter. However 'Chak de India' is unable to recreate that. This effect was far better realised in Lagaan.
The movie provided a great opportunities that the director could have worked on:
* The dissimilarity of the various Indian cultures and the breaking down of interpersonal barriers when the players interacted on a one-on-one basis with each other. * Lesser focus on Shahrukh who is projected as a super hero rather than a human being with frailties. * A statement could have been made on the fickle mindedness of the sports mad Indian people and their constantly fluctuating loyalty and hatred. * The manipulative nature of the Indian media which focuses on 'creating' issues from non-events. * More focus on team building and combined team achievement.
However the director has relegated all of this to the background and focused more on the achievement of the main protagonist (like any other Hindi film) and his rise from the ditch to stardom. The movie felt inspired from Remember The Titans and plays out like that film too; however the quality of this one is so bad that its embarrassing.
2 stars for being different from other Bollywood movies.