Maidaan director Amit Sharma reveals there are no similarities between his film and Shah Rukh Khan’s Chak De India; says, ‘Football is just the medium…’ | Hindi Movie News

Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn is all set to play the character of a football coach in Boney Kapoor’s upcoming film ‘Maidaan’. The film revolves around the story of Syed Abdul Rahim, who trains a team of young players from the slums in an effort to introduce Indian football on the international stage. Following the trailer’s release, some people made the comparison between ‘Maidaan’ and ‘Chak De India!’ In response to the analogies, filmmaker Amit Ravindernath Sharma has stated that the two movies are not similar.
During an interview with India Today, Amit said, “As soon as a sports film arrives, people compare these films because of the story of a coach and players. Even before watching the film, people assume that it’s a similar film.”
He further added, “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.”
Directed by Shimit Amin, ‘Chak De India’ featured Shah Rukh Khan as the coach of the women’s national hockey team.
Amit Ravindernath Sharma also mentioned that he had always wanted to make a biography and that Maidaan was like a challenge. “Challenges are always good, as one would get bored making the same films. The most important thing is that audiences will finally get to know about this man. They need to know what he’s done for the country. There is no jingoism, but just his utmost love for India and football,” the filmmaker said.
Apart from Ajay Devgn, ‘Maidaan’ also stars Priyamani and Gajraj Rao in pivotal roles. The film will hit the big screens on April 10.