The trailer launch of the biopic, Dhoni, The Untold Story, turned out to be nothing more than a felicitation meeting for the cricket captain, says Vijay S Kumar
In the end, nobody knew what the brouhaha was all about. Was it the trailer launch of MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, the felicitation of India’s most performing captain by his school or a school reunion of ex-students, considering actor Sushant Singh Rajput, also an ex-student, was presentIJ For those not in the know, Rajput plays Dhoni in the eponymous film.
On a rained out Wednesday, the trailer launch was nothing short of a school celebrating its annual day. In the two-hour gimmick, the school principal, its director, teachers and chairman took turns to congratulate Dhoni for his world cup triumphs and his career success. Students were asked to sing rap songs and dance in celebration of the school which “produced Dhoni.” Incidentally, the man in focus did his schooling at one of the branches in Ranchi, not Delhi.
However, so overwhelmed and ballooned up by all the praise was he that did not speak much else except thanking the staff of the school. “The school encouraged me to take up cricket instead of football. And that was a turning point in my life,” he said, waving to kids in encouragement. What was even funnier was the fact that actor Sushant Singh Rajput, who actually studied here was ignored for most part of the event. His presence was reduced to that of an extra who has to sit on a bench waiting for his turn. Rajput, on his part, remembered his school days, particularly stepping out for pakoras from the canteen. Finally, after all the boring dances and felicitation formalities, somebody did get around to screening the trailer. It had a young Dhoni struggling to make a career in India’s most popular game. It offered vignettes of his life as a student, son, brother, a lover, and eventually as a player and a captain.
On being asked about his experience being a part of the film, Rajput said, “Well, it was really tough. I worked very hard for the role. I trained under Kiron More and I think I am now capable enough of giving nightmares to Ranji bowlers. I have tried to read Dhoni, the workings of his mind and have tried to reflect that in the film. I hope he likes it.”
It has been observed that biopics are usually made only after one calls it a day. One then wonders what is the untold story in the movieIJ “I think it is not necessary for a biopic to be made after the man finishes his career, it is the journey and the intensity that matters. Considering the person and player Dhoni has been, his journey till the Ranji itself is enough to make a movie”, the actor added.
The first trailer launch of the film was held at a college in Phagwara, Jalandhar a couple of days ago, in the presence of Dhoni and the producers of the film. Apart from the school trying to take mileage out of Dhoni’s presence, the crew left us in a state of dilemma. They told us not to post the video till it was officially released later.