Ajay Devgn, the veteran player of showbiz, has his Maidaan ready for the audience. To be released in theatres on April 10, the biographical sports drama is an adaptation of football legend Syed Abdul Rahim’s glorious life. The actor recently spoke about what left him shocked and surprised about the life of Syed.
Ajay Devgn on why Syed Abdul Rahim’s story deserved a cinematic adaptation
The creators of Maidaan released a video titled Team India Hain Hum, where Ajay Devgn shared insights into the film and what sparked his interest. He expressed his surprise upon discovering the story of Syed Abdul Rahim and the impact he and his team had on Indian football. Devgn was seen talking about his eagerness to bring this story to light and raise awareness about him.
Devgn commented, “Apart from being a great story, I never knew that something like that had happened in our country and football had reached its peak and only because of, I can’t say one man, but one man and these players who changed the course of football in the ‘50s and ’60s. In fact, I was shocked and surprised this would have happened and there is a person like him and that was the first thing that this story needs to be told.”
Who was Syed Abdul Rahim?
Syed Abdul Rahim served as the coach of the Indian football team from 1950 to 1963, a period in which India clinched two Asian Games gold medals in 1951 and 1962. Under his guidance, India secured gold by defeating Iran in 1951 and South Korea in 1962, with the former victory witnessed by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Rahim was the one who introduced the 4-2-4 formation and led India to a fourth-place finish at the 1956 Olympics. Despite being diagnosed with cancer before the 1962 Asian Games, Rahim continued to coach, but unfortunately, he passed away on June 11, 1963 shortly after his team’s win.
More about Maidaan
Maidaan is directed by Amit Ravindernath Sharma and features Ajay Devgn alongside Priyamani, Gajraj Rao, and Rudrani Ghosh in the main roles. The film is being bankrolled by Zee Studios, Boney Kapoor, Arunava Joy Sengupta, and Akash Chawla. The movie is counting on Eid weekend for its opening.
