Tribute to indomitable spirit

Dipankar Sarkar

The 20-minute-long documentary that won the Filmfare Award for the best movie (non-fiction) in the Shorts category this year narrates the story of how a game played barefoot in the pockets of Kolhapur a century back draws more than 25,000 spectators for its local games. The passion for football here once extended beyond the ground and guarded the unity of the people of this city. Be it playing with Polish refugees after World War 2 or challenging British troops for a game in 1936, the residents of Kolhapur always had a hunger for football.

Filmmaker Sachin Balasaheb Suryawanshi grew up in a poor farmer family of Kasarwada, near the Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. Sachin wanted to study in a film school but due to financial constraints couldn’t pursue his long-cherished desire. As fate would have it, while working for an advertisement campaign for the Kolhapur Football Competition, he realised that the players had a massive craze among the local people. They were considered nothing less than celebrities. He wanted to make a documentary on the subject but it took him nearly three years to collect the information. With more than 40 hours of footage and around 150 interviews, the director decided to make a short film.

The film begins with archival footage as a voiceover informs that once famous for wrestling, the city of Kolhapur is now known for its football. Soccer players from the pre-Independence period share their experiences and struggles to initiate the game in their hometown. They also reveal how people of the region developed a bonding and connect with the game. The game was discussed in every nook and corner of the city. It was as if people were analysing the game from the perspective of supporters of their respective clubs. The film also touches upon the bitter fact that due to jealousy among different clubs, the sport could not achieve an identity beyond local competition. It remained restricted within the domain of small pockets of the city. The game failed to earn a reputation across the country. As the number of teams increased, so did the tussle between political parties and businessman to reap benefits from the crowd. A newspaper shot in the film displays the caption ‘Kolhapur’s Football — a doorway to politics. In an interview, official of the present team, Satish Suryavanshi, expresses his grief. He says, “Competition should exist in a game to improve the quality of the team. It is, unfortunately, being expressed outside the game”. 

However, in spite of such major drawbacks, the historic sport thrives on as the end credits inform that 125 soccer teams and 3,000 soccer players are officially registered at ‘Kolhapur Sports Association’ and the season is held between November and June each year, with the participation of international players.

But there are few aspects in the film that appear to be bad directorial choices. These include high-speed shots used at regular intervals as well as the drone shot of the stadium towards the end of the film, which fail to create a cinematic impact. Even the voiceover narration at some places appears to be too theatrical as also the use of background score.

The filmmaker holds the belief that his film is an ode to the unsung history of Kolhapur’s football, with the hope that if revered at a national level, it will do wonders for the social harmony and integration of the country as it once did for the city. He is even happy to reveal that after winning the prestigious Filmfare Award, people in India and abroad are talking the football matches that are being played in Kolhapur, a fact that has served his purpose behind making the film.