Release Date: September 30, 2016
Starring: Sushant Singh Rajput, Kiara Advani, Anupam Kher, Herry Tangri, Bhumika Chawla, Shreyas Talpade, Rajesh Sharma
Directed by: Neeraj Pandey
Produced by: Arun Pandey (Fox Star Studios)
Story: Neeraj Pandey, Dilip Jha
Music: Amaal Mallik, Rochak Kohli
Background Score: Sanjoy Chowdhury
Duration: 3 hr 10 min
Genre: Biographical Film, Drama, Sports
Censor Rating: U
About M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story
Mahi, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, is a sporting icon. The Indian cricket team captain who took over from Rahul Dravid and led the team to incredible heights including the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup victory. But what led a nondescript young man to become the idol of every sports lover in the country? What trials and tribulations did this enthusiastic boy from Ranchi face on his path to becoming a world-renowned celebrity? This Sushant Singh Rajput starer holds out quite a large promise – to draw cricket fans away from their television sets and to bring them to watch their favourite Dhoni’s story on the silver screen. While the story is based on M. S. Dhoni’s life, it takes a rounded view of the many aspects of an aspirant’s life – from the traditional bias against a sporting career, to the pressures of conforming with social norms, from politics in higher echelons of sports, to love and disappointment.
Plot
The first half of the M. S. Dhoni: The untold Story is a rather straight forward affair. Young Mahi is interested in sports and catches the eye of his coach. Struggling between domestic pressures to pursue education and a regular career and his desire to live up to his sports potential, Dhoni overcomes various hurdles (with a bit of luck) to make his mark. The young lad is ambitious and dreams big. His father is rather keen on his education and ‘bread-earning’ capabilities, while his mother and sister largely support his dreams. With a herculean effort, Mahi wades through life to decide that Cricket shall be his future.
The second half of the movie is the story of cricketer Dhoni. It covers a number of aspects (read challenges) that an ambitious life brings. Starting from the politics at play in team selection at the BCCI level to love life and disappointments, from team support and pressure to perform to glitzy stardom, the second half is a look at Dhoni as we know him.
Performances
Sushant Singh Rajput’s performance stands out through the movie. The actor certainly has worked hard at getting his strokes and technique right – plausible enough to pass off as one of India’s best cricketing icons. Co-actors Anupam Kher, Bhumika Chawla, and Herry Tangri stand out in their short but emotive performances. Kiara Advani and Disha Patani were quite marginalized, but, in all fairness, the movie was not about Dhoni’s romances and did not deserve much focus.
The first half of the movie, while predictable, is successful in keeping the viewer’s attention glued to the screen. Those who understand the frustrations of a small town life and having to choose between one’s dreams and difficult realities will appreciate the pace and the drama. The second half of the movie rather disappoints. The expectation was to see the man behind the celebrity and to catch the behind-the-scene locker room action fell flat. The song and dance routine seemed an imposition and in an effort to highlight Dhoni’s contribution to the Indian cricket team’s success, the role of the others have been completely ignored, not merely downplayed.
Music
Despite the fact that Amaal Mallik has composed the music for almost all the songs in M. S. Dhoni – The Untold Story, the variety is incredible. It must be admitted that none of the tracks are likely to outlive the movie but they are certainly hummable. While Jab Tak is melodious and certain to win the hearts of music lovers, Parwah Nahi is a very different sporty and inspirational track. Phir Kabhi comes as a romantic refresher, is an out and out fun number. All in all, the songs are well rendered and make for beautiful music.
Details of songs in M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story
1.”Besabriyaan”
Singer(s): Armaan Malik
Duration: 4.15
2.”Kaun Tujhe”
Singer(s): Palak Muchhal
Duration: 4.01
3.”Jab Tak”
Singer(s): Armaan Malik
Duration: 2.54
4.”Phir Kabhi”
Singer(s): Arijit Singh
Duration: 4.47
5.”Parwah Nahin”
Singer(s): Siddharth Basrur
Duration: 4.02
6.”Jab Tak (Redux)”
Singer(s): Armaan Malik
Duration: 3.38
7.”Padhoge Likhoge”
Singer(s): Ananya Nanda and Adithyan A Prithviraj
Duration: 3.07
The music for all above songs was composed by Armaan Malik
8.”Har Gully Mein Dhoni Hai”
Singer(s): Rochak Kohli
Duration: 4.04
The music for this song was composed by Rochak Kohli.
What’s Good?
M. S. Dhoni – The Untold Story comes across as an inspirational and promising tale which encourages the youth of the country to realize their dreams. Apart from Dhoni’s name and endorsement, Sushant Singh Rajput’s performance is a great crowd puller.
What’s Bad?
The direction and editing seem to lose steam in the second half of the movie. Those looking for Dhoni’s interactions with other cricketing legends (except Yuvraj Singh) are likely to be disappointed.
Verdict
M. S. Dhoni – The Untold Story tells the tale of aspiration and ambition. It is a good watch for the star-struck younger generation and for Indian families that are learning to look beyond traditional career options for their children.
M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story Rating ***
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