Bollywood and sports captivate Indians like no other factors. So, Bollywood movies based on sports fascinate the audience like no other genres. Drawing from the deep respect the Indians have for the sports, Bollywood has presented a lot movies centered around or inspired by sports-persons. Such movies serve as humble tributes from Bollywood to those who have devoted their lives to sports and secured lots of achievements for India.
Here are some of the best sports-based movies to watch:
Top sports movies in India:
Chak De! India (2007)
Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Vidya Malvade, Sagrika Ghatge, Shilpa Shukla, Vibha Chibber
Director: Shimit Amin
‘Chak De! India is one of India’s one of the most famous sports-based movie. This film is inspired by two different events. Firstly, the surprising victory of the Indian Women’s Hockey team in the 2002 Commonwealth Games, and secondly, the story of Mir Ranjan Negi, a former hockey player who faced a personal setback for conceding a pivotal goal during an important match. Chak De India is famous not only for the story of the film, but also for its title song that evokes an instant surge of enthusiasm and patriotism.
Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013)
Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Sonam Kapoor, Divya Dutta, Prakash Raj, Dalip Tahil
Director: R. O. Mehra
‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ delves into the life and sportsmanship of Milkha Singh, an Indian sprinter. In post-independent era, he won a lot of medals for India in multiple Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. Portrayed by Farhan Akhtar, the movie provides an authentic depiction of Milkha Singh’s journey – how his childhood was impacted by the violence during the partition of India in 1947, how he navigated through obstacles and hurdles on his way to become a triumphant athlete of India.
Gold (2018)
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Mouni Roy, Sunny Kaushal, Amit Sadh, Kunal Kapoor, Nikita Dutta
Director: Reema Kagti
This movie is inspired by hockey player Balbir Singh and his crucial role in securing the gold medal for the men’s Hockey team in 1948. Starring Akshay Kumar in the lead role, the movie ‘Gold’ is a tribute to Balbir Singh’s contributions to Indian Hockey. Though the movie-makers have taken creative liberties in narrating the historical events, it did not deviate from the core issue. This movie is a must-watch for all sports fans.
83 (2021)
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Padukone, Pankaj Tripathi, Tahir Raj Bhasin
Director: Kabir Khan
If you are discussing India’s remarkable sports-persons, then Kapil Dev is one of names that immediately come to mind. undoubtedly stands out. A gigantic presence in the world of cricket, Kapil Dev’s influence extends beyond India’s border. In the movie ’83’, portrayed by immensely talented Ranveer Singh, Kapil Dev’s journey to championship of World Cup 1983 has come to life on the silver screen. The first-ever World Cup victory cemented his legacy as a cricketing legend.
Lagaan (2001)
Cast: Aamir Khan, Gracy Singh, Rachel Shelley, Paul Blackthorne
Director: Asutosh Gowariker
The story of ‘Lagaan’ is about ordinary people of British India who challenge the British, for a cricket match in order to nullify their lagaan (taxes).
Though the movie is based on fiction, the situation of the people presented in the movie was not far from reality. In this movie, Aamir Khan – the captain of the team, gathers a group of people who knows nothing about Cricket. Inspite of that, they manages to upset the British, with the last ball victory. This movie has such influence on Indian people that each time India wins a cricket match against England, this Academy Award-nominated movie comes into discussions.
Mukkabaaz (2017)
Cast: Vineet Kumar Singh, Zoya Hussain, Ravi Kishan, Jimmy Shergill
Director: Anurag Kashyap
‘Mukkabaaz’ is one of the rare Bollywood movies on Boxing. The movie is about Shravan Kumar (played by Vineet Kumar Singh), an aspiring boxer, who falls in love with the niece of the boxing federation head. Though, the characters in this movie are fictional, the struggle and obstacles that an Indian boxer faces are shown quite appropriately in this movie. One should watch this movie for the storyline and the performance by cast.
Sultan (2016)
Cast: Salman Khan, Anushka Sharma, Amit Sadh, Randeep Hooda
Director: Ali Abbas Zafar
There are many Bollywood movies based on Wrestling, however, ‘Sultan’ is probably the best among those. The movie stars Salman Khan in the lead role. The movie is about Sultan Ali Khan, a fictional pehlwani wrestler and former world wrestling champion from Haryana whose successful career creates a rift in his personal life.
Kaun Pravin Tambe? (2022)
Cast: Shreyas Talpade, Ashish Vidyarthi, Parambrata Chatterjee, Anjali Patil, Shekar Betkar, Aditi Patil
Director: Jayprad Desai
This film is based on the life of less known yet talented Indian cricketer Pravin Tambe. He has fantastic track record for a long time in domestic cricket, but got little exposure in international cricket. This movie pieces together a fascinating life story that is much more than flashy achievements and staggering statistics. Shreyas Talpade delivers an earnest performance in the character of Pravin Tambe.
