If
all
goes
well,
the
Indian
and
Sri
Lankan
cricket
teams
will
attend
the
premiere
in
Mumbai
of
Ajitpal
Mangat's
cricket
film
Victory
on
January
30.
Confirming
this
development
the
anxious
director
said,
"We
expect
the
entire
team
to
pitch
in
at
the
premiere.
And
Harbhajan
Singh
who
has
a
part
in
Victory
will
be
attending
our
music
release
on
December
28.
The
real
cricketers
know
we
aren't
faking
it.
Victory
hasn't
been
shot
at
one
stadium
masquerading
as
several
stadiums.
We've
gone
all
over
the
world
to
various
venues
for
cricket
and
shot
with
real
cricketers.
That's
why
our
national
cricketers
are
willing
to
stand
by
the
film
without
charging
a
single
penny
in
this
day
and
age
when
free
meals
are
a
dream."
He
also
admits
the
cricketers
cost
a
bomb
to
act.
"They
don't
come
cheap.
They
cost.
And
every
cricketer's
fee
is
different.
Most
cricketers
I've
used
in
the
film
realized
their
advertisement
rates
wouldn't
work
for
me.
The
real-life
cricketers
aren't
used
in
my
film
as
a
marketing
gimmick.
Still
you've
to
pay
them
what
they
want.
Or
they
don't
work
with
you.
But
the
ones
that
worked
with
me
spread
the
good
word."
Ajitpal
had
to
work
his
schedules
around
the
cricketers.
"They
are
very
busy.
So
we
had
to
work
our
schedules
around
these
cricketers'
diaries.
But
the
support
I've
received
from
the
cricket
fraternity
is
amazing.
And
the
cricket
boards
were
really
co-operative.
They
felt
Victory
could
inspire
our
youngsters
to
play
cricket."
The
director
rues
the
fact
that
barring
Chak
De
India
there
have
been
no
significant
sports
films.
"And
the
films
on
cricket
in
this
country
are
woefully
inadequate." Ajitpal
doesn't
see
the
IPL
matches
coming
in
the
way
of
Victory.
"IPL
is
sports
drama,
not
drama.
Victory
tells
us
what
happens
to
Sachin
Tendulkar
off
the
field
when
he's
out
for
Zero."
Story first published: Wednesday, December 31, 2008, 12:13 [IST]