Over
the
years,
the
game
of
cricket
has
been
treated
as
a
religion
in
India
and
the
cricketers
are
worshipped
as
Gods.
The
streets
come
to
a
halt
when
a
match
involving
India
is
being
played.
Such
is
the
passion
for
this
sport
in
India
that
many
fans
watching
an
exciting
encounter
have
had
heart
attacks
in
the
past.
The
stars
of
the
game
enjoy
the
same
kind
of
fame
as
the
Bollywood
stars
do.
But
it's
a
proven
fact
and
a
mystery
at
the
same
time
that
the
same
sport
doesn't
get
the
love
of
its
enthusiastic
fans
when
it's
been
scripted
into
a
movie.
Let
it
be
Dev
Anand's
Awwal
Number,
Kumar
Gaurav
starer
All
Rounder
or
Subash
Kapoor's
Say
Salaam
India,
or
for
that
reason,
even
Iqbla
to
a
certain
extent,
all
have
been
doomed
at
the
box
office.
"Story
based
on
cricket
may
give
you
2%
mileage,
but
at
the
end
of
the
day,
all
depends
on
the
manner
in
which
the
subject
is
dealt
with",
director
Subhash
Kapoor,
who
attempted
a
movie
on
cricket
'Say
Salaam
India'
says,
"It
is
fine
if
cricket
is
the
theme
of
a
movie,
but
the
treatment
meted
out
should
be
really
good." But
having
said
this,
when
he
was
asked
to
reason
out
why
his
movie
bombed,
the
director
remained
speechless.
Film
critic
and
trade
analyst
Taran
Adarsh
feels
that
the
content
of
the
movies
made
on
cricket
may
not
have
been
good.
Says
the
critic,
"A
good
script
is
a
must
for
any
movie
to
do
well
at
the
box
office.
It's
not
about
cricket
or
some
other
sport.
It's
the
way
you
narrate
a
story
to
the
audience
is
what
matters.
If
a
well
made
film
is
made
with
cricket
as
a
backdrop,
I
am
sure
its
going
to
hit.
There
is
no
specific
reason
for
the
flop
record
on
movies
made
on
cricket".
Let's
leave
cricket
aside
and
focus
on
other
not
so
famous
sports
like
football,
hockey,
etc
in
India.
The
mystery
becomes
more
complex
when
we
learn
that
the
movies
made
on
such
sports
have
done
wonders
at
the
box
office
charts.
Chak
De
India
revolving
around
the
theme
of
hockey
and
goal
made
on
the
sport
of
Football
are
the
most
recent
examples.
Even
the
1992
released
film
Jo
Jeeta
Wahi
Sikandar
focusing
on
a
sport
like
cycling
was
a
big
blockbuster,
wherein
in
India
most
people
aren't
even
aware
that
cycling
falls
in
the
category
of
sports.
"See,
again
I
say
that
a
story
should
justify
the
theme.
It's
not
necessary
that
on
which
sports
you
make
a
movie
on,
if
the
narration
is
good,
then
the
movie
has
to
do
well.
Again
I
believe
marketing
too
plays
a
big
factor," quotes
Subash
Kapoor.
At
least
we
get
a
clue
why
his
film
Say
Salaam
India
wouldn't
have
worked,
i.e.
bad
marketing.
"All
the
movies
which
did
well
had
good
directors
who
have
the
capability
of
merging
the
storyline
beautifully
on
celluloid.
People
just
want
to
listen
and
see
a
good
story
like
Chak
de
India.
Cast
also
matters,
but
only
when
a
good
story
is
there," believes
Taran.
In
the
end,
it
seems
that
a
good
script
and
a
visionary
director
are
the
hero's
behind
the
success
of
a
film.
But
our
question
still
remains
unsolved,
why
have
all
the
movies
made
on
India's
greatest
sport,
'Cricket'
done
badly?
Isn't
there
a
creative
writer
to
script
a
good
movie
on
this
sport?
Well,
only
time
can
answer
this
question.