Slated for release on May 14, 2027, the film adds to an increasingly long list of movies about India’s cricketing icons. This comes alongside the development of a Yuvraj Singh biopic, produced by T-Series and Ravi Bhagchandka.
On paper, the premise appears infallible.
Cricket is the foremost sport in India. Cinema remains a principal source of entertainment.
Bringing the nation’s most revered cricketers to film should, in theory, result in box-office success.
Yet, history presents a contrasting narrative.
In the past decade, Bollywood has depicted the lives of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Mohammad Azharuddin, Kapil Dev, Mithali Raj, and Pravin Tambe.
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However, among these, only M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story stood out as a definitive commercial success. The rest have either performed modestly, underwhelmed at the box office, or found greater success on streaming platforms than in cinemas.
Why, then, have cricket biopics faced challenges despite India’s passion for the sport? And why do filmmakers continue to pursue this genre?
A clear standout
Released in 2016, Neeraj Pandey’s M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story is the benchmark against which cricket biopics in India are measured. The film grossed over ₹215 crore worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of that year. Its success stemmed not solely from Dhoni’s status as a beloved cricketer.
Its appeal arose from its dual nature as both a gripping drama and a sports film.
Rather than just recreating iconic matches, it explored Dhoni’s journey from a ticket collector with Indian Railways to the captain who brought home the World Cup. The screenplay focused heavily on his personal challenges, family dynamics, sacrifices, setbacks, and aspirations.
Timing played a crucial role, too. The film was released while Dhoni was still the captain of India’s ODI team and a national icon. Importantly, audiences didn’t have to be cricket enthusiasts to appreciate it; at its heart, it was an underdog tale of ambition, perseverance, and dreams.
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Ranveer Singh’s portrayal of Kapil Dev in Kabir Khan’s 83 received widespread acclaim. Critics praised the film, and audiences appreciated the recreation of India’s historic 1983 World Cup victory. However, it struggled to convert that goodwill into significant box office revenue.
Released in December 2021, the film came out when theaters were still recovering from the pandemic and contended with strong competition from Spider-Man: No Way Home, a major Hollywood hit in India.
83 faced storytelling hurdles as well. The film relied heavily on nostalgia and historical recreation, distributing the emotional weight across the team rather than focusing on a singular protagonist.
The 2017 release, Sachin: A Billion Dreams, showcased a mix of archival footage, interviews, and Tendulkar’s personal reflections. While fans appreciated its close look into his life and career, documentaries often occupy a niche in Indian cinemas. The film performed decently but didn’t reach blockbuster levels, even with the ‘God of Cricket’ as its lead.
Based on Mithali Raj’s life, Shabaash Mithu received generally positive feedback. However, it underperformed commercially, generating less than ₹3 crore globally. Critics noted that while the film was emotionally sincere, it lacked the dramatic tension needed to fully engage audiences. Additionally, the screenplay did not explore critical moments in Mithali Raj’s career, including India’s journey to the 2017 Women’s World Cup final.
Its timing in 2022, during a tough period for Bollywood, compounded its challenges, as viewers had become more discerning about their film choices. Moreover, women’s cricket was still struggling to gain traction during that time.
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In contrast to Dhoni and Kapil Dev, Mohammad Azharuddin’s legacy is marred by the match-fixing scandal that ended his international career. The controversy has inherently shaped the public discourse surrounding Azhar.
Before its release, the film garnered criticism from former investigators disputing its portrayal of events, arguing that it seemed to exonerate Azharuddin. This controversy aroused interest but also hindered the film from achieving the broad emotional connection enjoyed by more universally celebrated sports figures.
One of the most praised cricket biopics bypassed theaters entirely. Released directly on OTT, Kaun Pravin Tambe? received positive reviews for depicting an extraordinary underdog who debuted in the IPL at 41 after years of persistence. Without the constraints of box office pressure, the film found success on streaming platforms.
Challenges faced by cricket biopics
The varied success of cricket biopics prompts a vital question. If India is arguably the most cricket-obsessed country, why don’t films on its greatest cricketers consistently become blockbusters?
One part of the answer is familiarity.
Unlike fictional sports narratives, audiences are already aware of every major achievement. They know Dhoni will hit the winning six in the 2011 World Cup final. They know Kapil Dev will raise the World Cup at Lord’s. They know Ganguly will wave his shirt from the balcony.
The challenge lies not in revealing what happened but in making viewers emotionally invested in how those moments unfolded.
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Many cricket biopics falter as they adhere to a familiar template: childhood struggles, early setbacks, breakthrough achievements, defining victories, and an inspirational conclusion. Without uncovering fresh emotional dilemmas, these stories risk becoming mere chronological highlight reels rather than compelling narratives.
Additionally, cricket films can be costly. Recreating stadiums, employing visual effects, managing large casts, period production design, and choreographing sports sequences can escalate production expenses, complicating profitability compared to traditional dramas.
Nevertheless, Bollywood continues to invest in cricket biopics.
The rationale is straightforward: the potential for success remains vast. Few genres possess built-in brand recognition on par with cricket. Names like Sourav Ganguly or Yuvraj Singh instantly resonate across generations, easing the marketing burden significantly.
The economics have also changed. Today, a film’s success isn’t reliant solely on box office collections. Revenue from streaming rights, satellite agreements, music rights, and international distribution provides diverse income streams, reducing financial risk. Kaun Pravin Tambe? illustrated that a cricket biopic can thrive on OTT platforms without a theatrical release.
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