We must be a country totally bankrupt of heroes if there was talk of a biopic on Neeraj Chopra even before he stepped off the podium in Tokyo. Winning the gold, India’s first in athletics at the Olympics, is a stupendous achievement. There’s no taking away from that. But what’s a Bollywood filmmaker going to show in the life of the young javelin thrower who’s just 23 besides his Olympics glory?
He’s got the Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games and the World Athletics Championships coming up in 2022. Why not wait for these international events to get over, wait further for his journey (like Neeraj himself says) to come to an end, before thinking of making a biopic on him and deciding which Bollywood actor will play the part? To rush into it now smacks of a filmmaker cashing in on the gold.
I have never understood Bollywood’s fascination for making biopics on sporting legends while they are still alive and, in the case of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Mary Kom, still active with their sport. Hollywood makes them, too. But at least they wait for the champion to be retired, forgotten or dead. As in the case of Pele and Muhammad Ali and British runners Harold Abrahams as well as Eric Liddell. And like we did with Milkha Singh and Meer Ranjan Negi.
I understand that filmmakers would want to cash in on the euphoria of Neeraj’s Olympics gold medal. And his dark and rugged good cinematic looks. Also his coming back from an elbow surgery that almost cost Neeraj Chopra his sporting career to win athletics’ highest honour. But until Saturday in Tokyo, not many of us had heard of Neeraj or knew India was competing in the javelin throw at the Olympics. It was all about badminton, boxing, hockey and wrestling.
What I like about this young champion is that he has not let the shine of his gold medal dazzle him. He was overwhelmed by the wild reception in Delhi yesterday. All he wanted to do was go home and have a meal made by his mother, celebrate with his family, and start training. As for the biopic, Neeraj Chopra says it can wait till he retires from sports. Last but not least, he wants to win more medals first. Dashing Bollywood’s box-office hopes.
About Mark Manuel
The above thoughts/content has been proudly copied from the wall of Sir Mark Manuel. Being interviewing almost every role model of this country and going stronger each day. Mark Manuel is a respected Mumbai editor, writer, as well as a columnist.
With over three decades of journalism in leading publications. This includes the Free Press Journal, Times, Dainik Bhaskar, Mid-Day, as well as Afternoon. He is famous for his brilliant pen interviews. He himself is a TEDx speaker.
Further
His interviews have featured in several leading media houses. They include the Hindustan Times, Huffington Post, BBC, and Network 18. He interviewed almost every famous person. In the country from Mother Teresa to Muhammad Ali. His first book is just out. It’s titled Moryaa Re! It is a crime thriller that is perhaps the country’s first police procedural. He began his career covering crime. And in a tribute to his experience and knowledge of this beat.
Several distinguished officers of the Mumbai Police and its Crime Branch collaborated with him to make this book possible. In a statement of friendship for Mark Manuel and admiration for his work, Amitabh Bachchan wrote the forward.
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