By - Amit KumaR Agarwal
#Dhoni cricket has always been a religion in India, so when you make film on the most successful cricket captain of India, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, incidentally also the captain of the winning team of the last World Cup Title for India; you already have a winner on hand! How big, depends on word of mouth.
#Dhoni helmed by Neeraj Pandey brings on screen the life, the struggles, the tribulations, the success & the laurels, cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni has so far achieved. Mostly, the film is successful in holding the audience for it's rather long running time clocking to 3 hours & 10 minutes; but for stray glitches.
The star of the film is undoubtedly, Sushant Singh Rajput, who nails the Indian captain's role perfectly. I am sure he will walk away with quite a few awards next year!
The best part about Neeraj Pandey's direction is, he adds the much needed edge to each scene, after the scene has seemingly finished. The use of camera to make points succinctly is an art, very few directors master, Pandey has done it!
During the birth of MSD in hospital, a man puts an arm around his sons; seeing this MSD's father puts an arm around his daughter; thereby giving a firm message of "Beti Bachaao" initiative. Similarly towards the end, after Dhoni wins India, her second World Cup Cricket title - there are no dialogues amongst the various people, just tears of joy - but the coach who identifies him played by Rajesh Sharma, simply thumps his heart and points towards television, for he saw the potential of MSD and encouraged him to switch to cricket. In an earlier, cut, as he watches the final on TV, his wife looks at him in rapt attention. These are simple, yet the very characterization & shots, that make all the difference.
The flaws are, important events in MSD's life, him getting the captaincy of Indian team are not shown in the film. Also, while MSD's connect with his first girlfriend, Priyanka is well established; his connect with Sakshi, now his wife, isn't as well tracked and looks overstretched. The only portions where it works, is Sakshi's friend, Ritu's fascination for Dhoni! Frankly, Disha Patani makes a much better impression than Kiara Advani.
Also, I as an audience felt as the film finishes and credits of Neeraj Pandey flashes, an after-shot gives a fleeting glimpse of real Mahendra Singh Dhoni on the field. It deserved a much better shot and a slightly longer stay to register with the audiences.
A perfect end, would be a caption "Dhoni saga continues", followed by the ODI match against Bangladesh, where Dhoni did the unthinkable run-out and snatched victory from Bangladesh's jaws! I am sure, the film is for the global audience and since it's a perpetual property; may be, the shot can be re-edited, since it's about Dhoni.. err.. M A H I.
A perfect end, would be a caption "Dhoni saga continues", followed by the ODI match against Bangladesh, where Dhoni did the unthinkable run-out and snatched victory from Bangladesh's jaws! I am sure, the film is for the global audience and since it's a perpetual property; may be, the shot can be re-edited, since it's about Dhoni.. err.. M A H I.
