There are many images of MSD (played by Sushant Singh Rajput) etched in Indian Cricket lovers and follower’s mind. One of them is the Cricket World Cup against Srilanka, The T-20 world cup against Pakistan, The famed helicopter shot, Dhoni leaving the ball under his legs for a run out or not leaving the ball and rushing to stump a batsman. He is undoubtedly one of the most loved, popular and dependable cricketers of current team and has been in many ways SANKAT MOCHAN for Indian cricket. The film ‘M S Dhoni- The untold Story’ tries very hard to place Dhoni firmly in this pedestal.
You do not immediately feel the pain of having watched a long movie.
You enjoy and come out of the theater high on success.
The last shot is the winning one and Dhoni himself taking the victory lap.
However, once the euphoria does; many questions come to mind.
You realize you have been short changed once again.
There are not too many new episodes of his life that you encounter in the film. His life has been well chronicled. We all know his family’s condition when he was growing up, his passion, his job as a ticket collector or his selection through the BCCI’s tier-two city program.
The only newness could be the unveiling of a small part of his life. His love that he lost his love (Disha Patani ) and that Sakshi ( Kiara Advani) was not his first real love. Nevertheless, I could have been the only one not knowing it. However, in the film, presenting and introducing and acknowledging a friend who taught him, the famed helicopter shot is nice.
It is tough to make a real biopic. More so when it is in the current active player and a hero of Indian masses, MS Dhoni. So it is not a surprise that ‘MSD The Untold story’ looks too fragmented and predictably stale with hyper content of well remembered matches.
The contribution of multiple people in creating the legend is well portrayed. Banerjee ( Rajesh Sharma) in making him shift from Football to Cricket, his diehard friends and fellow cricketers who seemed to bask in his success, his sister, mother and father.
Some of the dialogues seem too filmy in a biopic. They may be true and hopefully are. Some of them are more memorable than others.
“Ye itne se me khush hone waalon mein se nahi hai” (He is never going to be happy with less, there is no limit to his desire) by his mother in response to his father comment about his expectations.
Another dialogue that the modern-day coupes could pick for emotional charging of their love-talk. ‘Pacca, Hamey pass Bahut Time hai na’ (we have enough time- sure) – a question that Dhoni’s first love asks him in the movie.
In situational terms, there are few tough to digest but equally probable. It is tough for someone not to a raging success of a cricketer. However, that is what seem to happen with Mahi twice. We have his words to believe that. His repeated sixes exactly where the selectors were sitting. Maybe true but seems more heroism within the film. Dhoni’s frustration with his job, deep thoughts, timely rain and his leaving the station on a train to go chase his dreams, filmy to the core but poetic in execution.
Hope we have chances to say ‘Mahi Maar Raha hai’ a few more times before what seems a slowly coming to end era of a great cricketer. The film that way is a well-timed image booster.
It is a story of Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Sushant Singh Rajput), the current India captain and one of the most popular ever. Sushant has done enough justice to his role. He has been able to copy Dhoni’s body language, walk, the unique shoulder movement, the stare of eyes and even partially the helicopter shot.
There are few emotional peaks that work like well placed pieces to make this otherwise a lot fragment non-linear criss cross montage a film.
Dhoni’s father ( Anupum Kher) is not happy with Dhoni’s passion for sports. He has a simple request for Dhoni, to study enough and get a Government job. His later acceptance of being happy at being proven wrong (when Dhoni becomes a success) is the moment of the film.
The supporting role of Dhoni’s sister (Bhumika Chawla) and the collective joy and excitement of his friends with his success. You are with them on the screen with them. I am not sure was it with Dhoni’s success or failure, but at few places, I found my eyes getting moist.
However, one feels cheated as there remain many UNTOLD pieces.
You are surprised not to be given a ring-side-view to some bit of politics within Cricket associations, selection and powers. It seems that life lacks real villains. You are not shown any traces of strong politics between players. If that was not enough, you for reasons unknown are kept away from light banter and fun within the dressing room.
The film smartly comes to an end with a peak of performance the six that won the ODI cup, conveniently skirting the Chennai Super King and match fixing episode. It cleverly sidesteps the minefield of reaction and visualization of his act of dumping captainship midway in a series, controversy with selection of Dravid, Laxman and Ganguly, interface and dynamics of having five captains playing under you and many more such interesting things.
But then it is MSD Biopic, in many ways a sugary syrup of Dhoni success. Looks like everything and everyone were always supporting. There is an overt over kill to push the MORAL OF THE STORY, something tough to accept that ONLY hard work and positivity CAN STILL help one reach the goal.
The film is long by any standard; full 190 minutes. Even so, the story is rushed. More so in the second half when cricket takes the front seat.
There are so many fast cuts of shots and Dhoni- Dhoni that it seems only he played the game and rest of the players always failed to create a situation for him to save.
A too lop sided singular focused approach for a team sport cricket is.
Nevertheless, Doni has been one who has given birth to many a small-town dream. The film re-establishes the point. Anyone, with talent and hard work and a bit of luck can realize the dreams.
Overall. Go watch it. Do not expect any insight. Be ready for an unabashed biased and too polarised storytelling. It may still not pass the test, ‘par phir bhee eek baar banti hai ‘ – still one time one must see it. Good enough to help MAHI once again hit a helicopter shot with the success of this movie.
STARS: Sushant Singh Rajput, Anupam Kher, Rajesh Sharma, Bhumika Chawla, Kumud Mishra, Disha Patani, Kiara Advani, Harry Tangri Director: Neeraj Pandey
