Maidaan is a great film. Films about sports belong to a different category and Maidaan has done absolute justice to the genre and to the story it narrates. It is a simple yet amazing film. Each actor has played their character remarkably well. The acting is wonderful, touching and realistic. Ajay Devgn’s portrayal of coach Syed Abdul Rahim is very powerful. The story is told convincingly and was great to watch. (I liked/didn’t like Maidaan because... April 10)

Srinika Banerjee

The legendary Manchester United football coach Sir Alex Ferguson used to say that winning is not everything, it is the only thing. He did not even hesitate to hurl a shoe at Ronaldo for losing a match.

The same attitude/dedication/craziness can be seen in independent India’s first football coach, Syed Abdul Rahim. He was devastated by India’s (1-10 defeat) in the 1952 Olympics against Yugoslavia. Rahim took control of Indian football, assembling players from every corner of India and won the Asian Games to make the world take notice of Indian football. Yet, Rahim, who gave every ounce of his energy and fought all odds to make such a formidable team, was not recognised as he deserved, until director Amit Ravindernath Sharma’s movie Maidaan was released. His superb skill, helped by a well-researched screenplay, magical, romantic moments intricately captured by Tushar Kanti Ray, AR Rahman’s pulsating anthem, actors performing as a team, along with Ajay Devgn, spread the football frenzy beyond the gallery to the audience watching the movie. Every minute of it was like being a part of the sea of emotions that prevails among the players, their coach and those fanatical supporters indulging in the show of craziness while being present on the match day, in the gallery.

Bhola Nath Das

A movie on the subject of football on the eve of Poila Baisakh is like icing on the cake. It is the story of a passionate football coach Syed Abdul Rahim who built the Indian football team and guided them to win the 1962 Asian Games gold medal in football.

In the 1956 Olympics, they missed the bronze by a whisker. In 1960, the team played like a lion but could not win. Finally, in 1962, Indian football players won the gold at the Asian Games, a feat that has not been repeated since.

The relationship between the coach and his wife (played by Priyamani) was shown as being adorable, and it is she who was the driving force behind his will to achieve his dream.

Unforgettable dialogues that inspire, motivate and infuse patriotic feelings were just the right preparation before the action-packed finale of the story. The movie was well plotted and executed and is full of action, passion, sacrifice, strategy-making, politics and bravery. Locations in Calcutta were captured well and the adda culture of Bengal was also depicted. The last shot of legends from the team of 1962 who are still alive, added a powerful, emotional touch, that gave a whole new level of realism and grandeur to the tale.

Deepak Bothra

I liked Maidaan because I am a huge football fan. Second, watching one of the best achievements of the Indian football team (winning gold at the 1962 Asian Games, that too by defeating higher-ranked teams like Japan and South Korea) in the form of a movie was a fantastic experience. Third, being a Bengali, watching Chuni Goswami as captain and also PK Banerjee, brings a nostalgic feeling. So according to me, it’s a must-watch movie, not only for me, but also for every football fan.

Agnidipto Bhattacharya

Maidaan is an inspiring, nostalgic and uplifting biographical sports drama celebrating the scintillating legacy of Indian football coach Syed Abdul Rahim and the global laurels earned under his leadership. Starring Ajay Devgn as the protagonist Rahim saab, the film unravels his epic journey as the coach of the national team, from motivating his young guns to valiantly conquering every obstacle in their path to scripting history at the greatest platform of sports, namely the Olympics and the Asian Games.

His personality was ingrained with the finest qualities enabling him to utilise the potential of his players and transform them into a champion team. The sparkle in his eyes expressed his unquenchable enthusiasm for football. Ranging from top-notch sports sequences to heart-winning dialogues, Maidaan shines as one of the most finely crafted biographies in recent times. Ajay Devgn exhibits his vast range of emotions, delivering a memorable performance as Rahim, living the character wholeheartedly. Kudos to the director for his brilliant research work and execution, honouring the legacy of an icon. I thoroughly cherished every minute of this cinematic masterpiece.

Aayman Anwar Ali

I loved the Ajay Devgn starrer Maidaan helmed by Amit Ravindernath Sharma and based on the life of Syed Abdul Rahim, who was a pioneering football coach of our country but unfortunately a forgotten figure now. According to me, it is one of the best Bollywood sports dramas released in recent years. The inspirational real-life story and the stellar performance of Ajay Devgn in the role of Rahim made watching the film an enjoyable experience. Devgn, undoubtedly, gave one of his career-best performances in the film. Not only him, Rudranil Ghosh, Chaitnya Sharma and Gajraj Rao also delivered memorable acts and enriched the movie. Apart from acting and plot, I enjoyed the electrifying and exciting football match scenes, full of edge-of-the-seat and nail-biting moments. I think the only drawback of the film was its three-hour screen time.

As an ardent admirer of Indian football, I want to thank the filmmaker from the core of my heart for making this film about the legendary football coach and making all of us aware of Rahim’s huge contribution to football in our country.

Sourish Misra