Harsha Bhogle Expresses Unease After Watching 'Ghoomer'

Harsha Bhogle expressed his initial reservations before watching Ghoomer, but those concerns dissipated as he found the film to be wonderful. He was particularly impressed by R Balki’s skill in integrating the story of a Hungarian Olympic gold medalist into an Indian context. Ghoomer revolves around a cricketer who overcomes a hand injury to return to the Indian team. The lead role of the cricketer is portrayed by Saiyyami, while Abhishek Bachchan plays her coach. Directed by R Balki, the movie also stars Shabana Azmi and Angad Bedi, scheduled to release on August 18.

In a video released by Ghoomer’s producers, Hope Productions, on their YouTube channel, Harsha remarked, “I recently watched a movie, and I went in with a mixture of excitement and unease.” His excitement stemmed from the fact that Ghoomer is a cricket-themed movie, and he was curious about its narrative integration.

“There was a bit of unease as well, since I knew many people in the film. I’ve known Balki for a long time. There’s been a household debate on whether we like ‘Cheeni Kum’ more or ‘Paa’ more. I’ve always been on the ‘Paa’ side, while my wife favored ‘Cheeni Kum’. I’ve been intrigued by Sayami Kher’s performance since she’s an exceptional anchor and cricketer. I wanted to see how she melded the two. So, I was somewhat conflicted about how I’d react to a film featuring people I knew.”

Advertisement
Advertisement
View this post on Instagram
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

A post shared by Amitabh Bachchan (@amitabhbachchan)

He went on, “I was also a bit worried about how cricket would be depicted. We’ve all seen sports movies where the build-up of emotion and drama is intense, and then suddenly the sport scenes begin, and you think, yeah, they attempted to teach the actor cricket, but it doesn’t seem genuine. Within the initial ten minutes or so, that initial concern vanished.” Harsha mentioned that Saiyyami’s cricketing skills were authentic, and he was captivated by Balki’s meticulous attention to detail.

“It’s not just Saiyyami – she’s genuinely a cricketer. She’s an actor, but she’s genuinely a cricketer. So, there was never any doubt about that, and the same goes for the other characters’ performances. When there’s an India-England match, all the players are convincingly portraying cricketers, and Balki didn’t compromise on that. This adds authenticity to the film.” He emphasized that Saiyyami’s dual role as both an actor and a cricketer allowed her to capture the nuances of her character, resulting in genuine authenticity.

Discussing Abhishek’s portrayal, Harsha said, “Then there’s Abhishek Bachchan. I think he truly embodies the coach’s role. Sometimes, coaches try to motivate players, using either a tough approach or a gentler one, but occasionally the lines may sound like motivational speeches. I admired the way Abhishek blended both aspects into his character. I recognized elements of real cricketers within the character Abhishek portrays, but I’ll leave that for you to decide. However, it’s certain that his performance, especially in the first half, is exceptional.”

Harsha concluded by noting that the film primarily conveys a message of hope. He appreciated that the film avoids “talking down to women’s cricket” or addressing other societal issues in a condescending manner. He wrapped up his video by expressing that, while he isn’t a film reviewer, he admired the seamless fusion of the narrative of a Hungarian athlete into the Indian setting, using the language of cricket.

To stay informed about current events, please like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BOLUrduNews/.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel https://bit.ly/3Tv8a3P to watch news from Pakistan and around the world.

Harsha Bhogle Expresses Unease After Watching ‘Ghoomer’

Web Desk

Articles