Ajay Devgn is gearing up to portray the role of a football coach in Boney Kapoor’s upcoming film Maidaan. The storyline revolves around Syed Abdul Rahim’s relentless efforts to elevate Indian football onto the global platform by assembling and mentoring a team, comprising talented youngsters from the slums.
Following the release of the trailer, some viewers drew comparisons between this film and Chak De India! However, director Amit Sharma has swiftly responded, stating that there are no similarities between the two projects.
Amit Sharma opens up on comparison between Ajay Devgn’s Maidaan and SRK’s Chak De India!
In an interview with India Today, Amit Sharma addressed the tendency of people to compare sports films due to the common theme of a coach and players. He noted that even before watching a film, some viewers assume similarities simply because it revolves around sports.
Sharma emphasized, “There are no similarities between these films, except maybe 22 players are running after one ball on the field. The story is different, the struggle is different. This is also not a sports biopic, it’s the journey of Abdul Rahim. Maidaan is about his emotional journey. Football is just the medium.”
Chak De India! was directed by Shimit Amin and starred Shah Rukh Khan as the coach of the women’s national hockey team. It became a superhit blockbuster at the box office.
Amit Sharma further shared that Maidaan presented a fulfilling challenge for him, as he had long aspired to direct a biopic. He expressed that challenges are essential in keeping the creative process fresh, as repeating the same formulas can become mundane. He highlighted the significance of the audience learning about the remarkable contributions of Abdul Rahim, emphasizing that the film portrays his deep love for both India and football without resorting to jingoism.
Maidaan features Ajay Devgn, Priyamani and Gajraj Rao in significant roles, and is scheduled to release on April 10th.
