Unseen Videos, Photos Make ‘Sachin: A Billion Dreams’ A Must-Watch

(This piece is not a review, but a first reaction to the Sachin biopic by a die-hard Sachin Tendulkar fan.)

Anyone born in India in the early 80's knows God as a 5.41-foot right-handed batsman who could rip any bowling attack apart, anytime and anywhere in the world. Sachin Tendulkar is the enigma who led India's coming of age among developed cricketing nations – and gave it its first pan-India ‘Sporting Idol'.

We wanted a straight drive from him, a six over the long-off, a victory, and he never disappointed. The icing on the cake was his humility. It was as if the God projected the middle-class mortals at their finest.

There are many moments that could find mention, but the century he scored in the 1999 cricket world cup, a day after the demise of his father, was an event that inspired everyone in the country.

His glance up the sky after the century was symbolic of the family bonds that exist in our country. His achievements were fascinating on-screen but their manifestation off-screen were what made him the son of every parent, a friend to his peers, and an idol for generations to come.

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Sachin: A Billion Dreams is the opportunity for every cricket fan who could not watch him play in a stadium to experience, if not to the fullest, then at least some of the buzz he created every time he walked out to bat, every time he scored a century, every time he won a match for us, and above all, every time he was a son who India looked up to.

With a first-person narrative, use of home videos and photographs from Sachin's personal library, and recreations of his early years, the film takes the viewers well beyond the realm of cricket.

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His life as a cricketer is juxtaposed with the Indian cricket team's journey through the 1990s to 2011 in a recap that every Indian can associate with. The rekindling of emotions for a Sachin fan like me is like having a Bollywood-esque flashback, culminating in the most beautiful memory that we have of the world cup victory.

The last words at Wankhede, the tearjerker.

Anecdotes from Sachin's life as a debutante, to the player to look forward to.

From becoming the captain, to stepping down and again being made the captain. From match-fixing to an injury that nearly took his career, and then back with a vengeance to win the world cup, are well-spun in the narrative.

The film takes the audience on an emotional roller-coaster ride, which makes it a must-watch for every Sachin fan.

The voice-overs, interviews and commentary by the former players add to the nostalgia.

The first half is all about the growth of Sachin into Sachin – The Phenomenon; Sachin – The Harbinger of Money Into The Game; and his personal ordeals. The second half focuses more on the Indian team and Sachin's comeback after they were at the lowest following the match-fixing scandal.

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The film not only justifies Sachin, the player, but also Sachin, the team-man, by giving space to the personal achievements of his peers like Rahul Dravid, VVS Lakshman and Yuvraj Singh.

The locker room moments are the ones to savour the most as they are truly exclusive. As a fan, it is these intimate moments during the team meetings – the celebrations and dejection – that we see the other side of our beloved players.

The music by AR Rahman adds to the mood. The archival footage of Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Viv Richards, and others from politics, films and business are also a reminder of how Sachin was a part of everyone's lives.

Also Read: Virat, Anushka, SRK: ‘Sachin' Premiere Was a Star-Studded Event

There are a few places where the film does falter. The movie did not have any mention of the controversial ball-tampering incident, and the match-fixing issue has been rather swept under the carpet.

In places, the narrative loses its way but it is Sachin's archival footage that saves the film. Although the presentation of the footage should have been worked upon better.

The treatment and way in which the interviews are shot is very television-like, so the cinematic experience is missing.

So, all you Sachin fans and others, the nearest cinema hall is where you need to go this weekend and witness Sachin – the only man for whom both the atheists and believers missed a heartbeat together every time he got out.