Chak De! India

Chak De! India is a catchy song (but not Bollywood style, no dancing in this movie, only really good field hockey playing) in a formulaic and predictable but very satisfying movie. (Of course, any movie with Shahrukh Khan in it is bound to be very satisfying...) Like Remember the Titans or Coach Carter, this is a movie about building a winning team. But, there is a twist. It's a girls' team; in fact, it is the India National Team and they hope to go to the World Cup! The challenge is, no one wants to coach a woman's team. The girls are the top players in their respective states, but there is no history of success with the sport.

Enter Kabir Khan (Shahrukh Khan). 7 years past, Khan, the captain of the Men's India Team, took a penalty shot at the end of the game, missed, and lost the cup. Labeled a traitor to India because he missed the shot and was the only player to shake the hand of the opponent team (naturally, Pakistan), he disappears from the public eye. He returns to volunteer to coach the team after a 7 year hiatus from Hockey. What follows amidst various trials and tribulations is the formation of a team.

More than just a team movie; however, this is a movie about respect and love of country - India. There are predictable moments in the movie and there are surprises also. The acting is good and the girls are great. Shah Rukh doesn't pull any stunts in this movie, but his quiet presence makes the plot development plausible and builds sympathy in the audience. Shah Rukh allows the girls to star; they are the standouts. Yet his understated athleticism is essential to the film also. This is a very feminist movie; not vehemently so, but convincingly so. For all of us who have tried to assert ourselves as equals in an unequal world, this movie speaks to the heart of the matter. Again, a movie full of important values: respect, appreciation, loyalty, and patriotism - all for the right reasons.