“Maidaan” is a Hindi-language movie released in 2024, focusing on the life of Indian football coach Syed Abdul Rahim. It was directed by Amit Ravindernath Sharma and produced by Akash Chawla, Arunava Joy Sengupta, Boney Kapoor, and Zee Studios. The sports sequences were coordinated by Rob Miller and ReelSports. Ajay Devgn portrays Syed Abdul Rahim. The movie’s previews came out on April 10, 2024, and it hit theaters worldwide on April 11, 2024, coinciding with Eid. Despite receiving positive reviews from critics, the film didn’t perform well at the box office, earning only ₹67 crore globally.
PLOT :
In 1952, during the Summer Olympics in Helsinki, India’s football team suffers a significant loss against Yugoslavia, causing blame to fall on their coach, Syed Abdul Rahim. Rahim seeks permission to build a new team with fresh players, facing reluctance from federation members like Subhankar. However, President Anjan supports Rahim’s request, allowing him to scout players nationwide. Despite criticism from journalist Roy Choudhary, Rahim forms a diverse team.
Moving forward to the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, India triumphs against Australia despite disrespect from an opposing player towards Neville D’Souza. The team secures fourth place overall. Meanwhile, Roy Choudhary and Subhankar plot to oust Rahim from his coaching position.
At the 1960 Summer Olympics, India faces France but fails to qualify, leading to Rahim’s dismissal due to prolonged poor performance. Additionally, Rahim discovers he has lung cancer due to smoking excessively.
Deciding to spend his final days with family, Rahim’s wife encourages him not to abandon his dream of leading India to a gold medal victory. He pleads with the federation to let him coach again, promising success or retirement. Despite initial reluctance from President Subhankar, Rahim gains support from federation members.
Rahim resumes coaching for the 1962 Asian Games, facing financial obstacles and political tensions. After negotiating with the Finance Minister, Rahim agrees to take only the best players. Despite setbacks, including goalkeeper Thangaraj’s injury and political controversies, Rahim motivates the team to victory.
On the day of the final match against South Korea, Rahim’s health deteriorates, but he inspires the team with a moving speech. Witnessing Rahim’s resolve, Roy Choudhary changes his stance, and injured players rejoin the team. Despite protests and security concerns, India clinches the gold medal, achieving Rahim’s lifelong dream.
Overall, “Maidaan” chronicles the inspiring journey of Syed Abdul Rahim and his team’s triumph over adversity, emphasizing perseverance, unity, and the pursuit of excellence in sports.
PRODUCTION :
Principal photography for the film began on August 19, 2019, but faced significant interruptions because of the COVID-19 pandemic and Cyclone Nisarga, stretching the process until May 2022. Originally, the movie was supposed to hit theaters on June 3, 2022, but due to remaining post-production tasks, the release got postponed. Although rescheduled for June 23, 2023, the film encountered further delays.
RECEPTION :
India Today’s Sana Farzeen gave the film a glowing review, rating it 4 out of 5 stars and praising Ajay Devgn’s performance, stating that he “strikes gold, yet again.” Similarly, Bollywood Hungama’s critic rated the film 4 out of 5 stars, hailing “Maidaan” as one of Bollywood’s finest sports-based films, with Ajay Devgn delivering a National Award-worthy performance.
On the other hand, Shubhra Gupta from The Indian Express had a more mixed opinion, rating the film 2.5/5 stars. Despite acknowledging its emotional impact, she criticized certain aspects but appreciated Devgn’s sincere portrayal of Syed Abdul Rahim. Sukanya Verma of Rediff.com shared a similar sentiment, rating the film 2/5 stars and remarking that “Maidaan” failed to elicit excitement.
Dhaval Roy of The Times of India awarded the film 4 stars out of 5, praising Devgn’s portrayal of Rahim and highlighting Priyamani’s impressive performance as his wife. Gajraj Rao’s role as a cunning journalist was also commended. Vinamra Mathur from Firstpost gave the film 3 stars out of 5, appreciating its portrayal of 1950s India and the significance of football during that era.
Rishil Jogani from Pinkvilla rated “Maidaan” 3.5 stars out of 5, lauding it as a passionate portrayal of the Indian National Football Team’s underdog story. Similarly, Simran Srivastav from English Jagran praised the film’s passionate execution and stellar performances, rating it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Anuj Kumar of The Hindu emphasized the importance of popularizing sports like football, expressing hope that “Maidaan” inspires the younger generation to take up the sport and disproves the notion that Rahim’s legacy died with him.
