‘Hockey players need all the support they can get’

To Shimit Amin goes the credit for reviving interest in the game of hockey, thanks to his film Chak De! India which has become a cult success. He started his career with Ab Tak Chhappan about the life of ‘encounter’ cops. Amin spoke to Subhash K Jha:

Did you ever expect Chak De! India to become so special?
Not really. I mean the making of it was very special. We had such a variety of cast and crew, from the research team that came from all parts of the country to a cast that comprised athletes, untried actors posing as hockey players. Lots of real hard work went into it.
The film has become far more than just another entertainer. People have been carrying it forward. We just have to sit back and watch it move forward. We’re enjoying all the reactions. We’ve been lucky.
The film brings up several issues such as gender equality, the Indian Muslim’s identity and the neglect of hockey.
Yes, it does. But we never set out to make an issue-based movie. We were pretty careful about how we told the story. We wanted the emotions and drama to go right. Yes, the issues come out of the story. But they are not THE story. I couldn’t have asked for a better layering for my story from my writer, Jaideep Sahni.
Do you see the film benefiting hockey in the long run?
As far as the film’s impact goes, we don’t know how much it would finally help hockey. But even if kids look at hockey in a new light or even if they’re given a hockey stick in the gym and urged to play the game, i’d consider our endeavour to be successful. That Suniel Shetty has been appointed the ambassador for hockey is just so heartening. It proves a buzz about hockey is in the air. To me everyone who recommends Chak De! India for a viewing is an ambassador of hockey.
Are you surprised by the reaction to the film?
I’d sound very silly if i said i knew the reactions were coming. We wanted people to like what we’ve done. But the way people have embraced the film is outstanding. People are going back to see it, and that’s amazing. There are so many layers in the plot. And people have taken to all of them.
There’s the danger of the publicity unnecessarily glamorising female hockey players.
I see nothing wrong with that. Hockey players, especially women, need all the support they can get. Even a bit of a push helps these ladies. They come from really humble backgrounds and need their self-esteem to be raised. All they need is a little bit of support from all of us. The girls who acted as hockey players are such amazing actresses. I’d love to work with them again and not just as athletes.