My favourite sports film is Chak De! India. This movie is a motivational one in true sense. Screenwriter Jaideep Sahni met with real-life Indian women’s national hockey team members and wrote it after being inspired by their struggles, constraints and stamina.

It is also based on the true story of a player-cum-coach Mir Ranjan Negi. Shah Rukh Khan as Kabir Khan portrayed the silent grief, despair and anger of a successful player who the country starts to hate for just one defeat. The performance by all actors was brilliant. The dialogues and songs are fiery and charged with patriotic pride. Director Shimit Amin also blended the story of women’s empowerment with the sports well. (My favourite sports film is... August 28)

Sarbani Banerjee

Co-starring Hilary Swank as a resilient female boxer hellbent on going pro and Clint Eastwood as her reluctant trainer and eventual father figure, Million Dollar Baby is a gripping, relentless, and ultimately shocking subversion of the genre. Playing out as a somewhat typical (albeit enjoyable) underdog tale, before taking an unexpectedly bleak turn around its halfway point, the film becomes less a sports movie and more of a dissection of the human spirit and every second of it pays off. Bolstered by Clint Eastwood’s mellow direction and the delicate narration of Morgan Freeman (who would take home his lone Academy Award to date for his efforts), the 2004 Best Picture winner captures a unique tone that accomplishes both melodramatic theatrics and powerfully natural realism.

Roshni Ojha

My favourite is a Bengali comedy film, Dhanyee Meye (1971), based on a football match that changes the life of the captain of Sarbamangala club, Bogola. The captain is forced to marry the niece (Jaya Bachchan) of the owner of a rival club, so as to keep the precious football trophy in the family. This movie is filled with all the excitement and friendly rivalries that happen in Bengal’s villages, where football is a religion.

Moubani Paul

My favourite sports film is Lagaan (2001). Set during the British colonial era, it tells the captivating story of a group of Indian villagers who challenge the British rulers to a game of cricket to avoid paying taxes. With Aamir Khan in the lead role, the film showcases the power of unity, resilience and the spirit of sportsmanship.

Sohini Raychaudhuri

The Karate Kid (1984) is a classic that has spawned several sequels, remakes and spinoffs over the years. It tells the story of Daniel LaRusso, a 17-year-old American boy, and Mr Miyagi, an eccentric Okinawan immigrant who works as a caretaker in an apartment but later turns out to be a karate expert. When Daniel faces bullying from a group of boys who practise a brand of karate that promotes the ruthless motto “Strike first, strike hard, no mercy”, Mr Miyagi comes to his aid and teaches him a different form of karate that prioritises ethics and compassion for one’s opponent. The film is notable for acquainting America with Japanese martial arts and portrays how Eastern fighting styles transformed the Western perception of combat in the late 20th century.

Dhee Sankar

One of my fondest sports movies is King Richard (2021), directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green. In this semi-sports and semi-biopic on the life of Richard Williams, Will Smith — who bagged an Oscar for Best Actor — portrays the role of an undeterred father and mentor who stood tall in the making of two legendary tennis prodigies, Venus and Serena Williams. The film elicits the challenges of raising two young Black girls in the field of tennis in the early 1990s, and Richard’s resilient and unconventional coaching methods that led to proving his daughters’ worth to the world. A number of issues are tackled head-on — from the tough Crompton surroundings and snobbery in the tennis world, to gender and racial bigotry, and how Richard shrugs off any and all of these setbacks.

Camellia Paul

My favourite sports film is Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. Having lost his siblings and parents in the bloodshed during Partition, it documents how a young Milkha Singh pushes on with courage and determination to survive, joins the military and gets selected as an athlete. Some of the scenes are worth remembering and evoke tears. In one scene he brushes off an injury and dons the national colours to play for his country. Another scene is the running commentary of his race with his Pakistani counterpart Abdul Khaliq, whom he ultimately defeated and won the title of ‘The Flying Sikh’. His loss in the Rome Olympics by a whisker is also painful. Farhan Akhtar has done a tremendous good job in the film and even Milkha Singh appreciated his performance in the 2013 film.

Indranil Sanyal

My favourite is the Bengalli film Koni directed by Saroj Dey. It is about Koni, a young girl who loves to swim but lacks the skill and training needed to win in competitive events. The film narrates how Khidda, a swimming coach, discovers her talent and decides to take Koni under his wing to train her to be a champion.

He trains her rigorously, maintains her diet regimen at his own expense. He is the perfect coach to her being strict on the one hand and compassionate on the other. He teaches her to fight against physical and psychological obstacles, and motivates her to fight and win her own battles. In the end, her victory is as much hers as his.

Koni is a true sports film as it teaches us how to believe in ourselves and to fight courageously against all odds if we want to be triumphant.

Kajal Chatterjee

My favourite sports film of all times is Chak De! India. The story, script, direction and the performances of each and every actor is the reason of the film’s mammoth success. Shah Rukh Khan beautifully portrayed the pain, integrity and determination of Kabir Khan. I love the film for its idea that nothing is impossible, if one tries his/her level best unitedly. After the release of the film in 2007, women’s hockey has been acknowledged and appreciated more by the general Indian public and there lies the actual success of the film.

Kakali Mukherjee

Koni (1984) is a Bengali film directed by Saroj Dey. The film tells the story of Khidda (Soumitra Chatterjee), a swimming coach who teaches swimming to underprivileged kids. He picks Koni (Sriparna Banerjee) from a slum of Calcutta and grooms her to be part of the Bengal swimming team to compete at the national championships. Both Soumitra and Sriparna delivered outstanding performances in the film. Khidda’s line, “Fight Koni, fight” will surely give the audience goosebumps.

Kushangkur Das

My favourite sports film is definitely Chak De! India. Tagged a traitor for losing a match to Pakistan, Kabir Khan tries to prove his patriotism by training the girls’ hockey team. He brings together the group of girls, resolves their internal spats and helps them overcome the prejudices they faced as sportswomen. They make it to the World Cup, win the title and vindicate his belief and efforts.

Aratrika Das

Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar is my favourite sports film. In this story of four schools competing against one another, Sanju (Aamir Khan) the underdog, and the hopeless teenager, shocked the champions in the finals of the inter-school cycle racing tournament, and thus became a source of inspiration for all kids and teenagers of that era.

The film lucidly potrays sportsmanship, leadership qualities, school life, friendship and several vices of teenage. The closing moments of the film were full of excitement and the entire sequence of the cycle race across the perilously hilly terrain was presented in an impressive manner.

Nilutpal Maitra

My favourite sports film is Chak De! India. In this film, Kabir Khan (Shah Rukh Khan), a former star hockey player accused of betraying his nation, becomes the coach of the 16-player national women’s hockey team. The team faces discord and difficulties in the beginning but Kabir proves to be their perfect mentor. Under his guidance, they win the World Cup bringing glory to the country and restoring Kabir’s lost dignity.

Besides, Chak De! India also mirrors the struggles of every woman player who has to walk an extra mile to achieve her dream.

Sikrity Ghosh

My favorite sports film has to be Goal! The Dream Begins. It’s a heartwarming story about Santiago Muñez, an aspiring footballer who overcomes challenges to fulfil his dream of playing professional football. The film’s mix of determination, friendship and exhilarating sports moments makes it an inspiring and enjoyable watch for both sports enthusiasts and movie lovers alike.

Swagato Sarkar

My favourite sports film is Chak De! India (2007). Powered with nationalism, this film attacks the religious prejudice faced by a talented hockey star Kabir Khan, the misinterpretation of his formal gesture and his inspiring journey of redeeming his respect among his people. Starring Shah Rukh Khan as the lead, this film emphasises women’s empowerment and depicts Kabir Khan’s dedication towards building a formidable side capable of competing at the international level. Resilience and patriotism formed his rock-solid character which enabled him to fight any unfavourable situation and imbibe the same among his team.

Aayman Anwar Ali

My favourite film is Koni, based on a story by Moti Nandi, is the inspirational story of a swimmer and his coach Khidda who fight all odds together to achieve their aim. Soumitra Chatterjee as Khidda and Sreeparna Banerjee as Koni are incomparable.

Puhabi Das

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, my favourite sports film, is as much a story about the loss of loved ones, home and hearth, constant humiliation in a world that considers you pariah, as it is about the unforgiving world of competitive sports. Milkha powers through them all like a champ. The song Tu hai aag Milkha is picturised on the soldier Milkha training for the Olympics, running up slopes with truck tyres tied to his waist. Of all the images, that is an unforgettable sight. Directed by Raykesh Omprakash Mehra, it has memorable music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy and songs sung by Arif Lohar.

Pampa Paul

Based on a Moti Nandi novel, starring Soumitra Chattopadhyay and Sriparna Banerjee, Koni, my favourite sports film, is about a talented young swimmer, Koni. From a poor family, she fights against all odds, overcomes obstacles and becomes a winner, under the guidance of her swimming coach Khidda. I just love to watch the movie, as the film on one hand entertains me with its engaging story and fantastic acting by the lead actors, on the other it inspires me immensely. Khidda’s iconic dialogue from this classic movie, “Fight, Koni, Fight”, works like a magic mantra for me. When I think of giving up while fighting life’s everyday battles, it inspires me to face the challenge bravely.

Sourish Misra