Mumbai, Dec 7 (PTI) Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap today saidhis upcoming movie "Mukkabaaz" comes from the "irony" andthe "sad situation" that the country has more sports filmsthan medals.
The film chronicles the story of a boxer from UttarPradesh, Shravan Singh (Vineet Kumar Singh), who falls in lovewith a Brahmin girl. Things take a turn when he lands a punchto the head of the boxing federation and politician-gangster,Bhagwan Das, played by Jimmy Shergill.
The film then sets out on the journey of the underdog whofights corrupt system, deep-rooted casteism and societalpressure for his boxing dreams and love.
"We have more sports movies than medals. The film comesfrom that sad situation. In population, we are second afterChina, but in the medal tally we always lag behind. Why is ithappening, why can't we produce sportsmen?"There is a problem in our sports system. Through thisfilm and through a love story we are trying to explore that.
It's a very pro-sports film. I call it the most pro-sportsfilm," Kashyap told reporters here at the trailer launch ofthe film.
The "Gangs of Wasseypur" director said as a nation wetend to celebrate "small medals" so much that we often missthe larger picture.
"We get a little something and burst into celebrations.
We go crazy, don't understand what's happening. A small medalis celebrated so much that the person who won that doesn'teven qualify the next time. The film comes from that irony."The film, which features Zoya Hussain, Ravi Kissan,Sadhana Singh, among others, is scheduled to releasetheatrically on January 12.
"Mukkabaaz" had its premiere at MAMI recently, whereit received praise.
Kashyap said the film aims to have a larger commentaryon the situation of sports in the country.
"We worked under the radar for the film for a long time.
The film looks at how in sports we have to deal with thingswhich are not connected to it... It's only in our country thatthe sportsmen travel in economy class and the people takingthem fly business class. The irony exists only in our countryand then we expect medals."When asked if patriotism overshadows the essence of asports film, Kashyap said, "Patriotism has become a formulanow. That formula has now come into films and in real lifetoo. So, this film comments on that too but never getsovershadowed by it." PTI JUR NPBK.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.