Page 8 - Seniors Toady March 2020
P. 8
Cover Story
KnocK,
Photo : Courtesy BCCI.tv
stocK and barrel
Ayaz Memon looks back at the historic World Cup that he witnessed, which transformed
the world of cricket for India
When Kabir Khan announced that he was making cricket was apparent, and he averred he wanted to
a film on India’s 1983 World Cup victory, I was stick as close as possible to how the tournament
both overjoyed and assailed by apprehension. factually
Sport was getting greater recognition in India, Kabir had also roped in most members of that
including finding celluloid expression (flicks 1983 World Cup as advisors and mentors, which
on Milkha Singh and M C Mary Kom had come is important in a project of this nature. For these
earlier), which was a splendid improvement players, memories of that tournament will never
from the past. But how India’s greatest cricketing fade. With passage of time, they also have a better
achievement (yet) would be treated was a concern. perspective, which can add great value to the film.
Would this be a true-to-life account of the I have no idea how the film has shaped up. I hope
magnificent campaign, which saw Kapil Dev’s it does justice to the astonishing achievement
team pull off arguably the most stunning victory of `Kapil’s Devils’, as the Indian team got to be
in the history of the game? Or, as happens often known after the victory. I also hope that Kabir has
in Bollywood, history would be contrived and been able to juxtapose the cricket with the ethos
fictionalised to the extent that an extraordinary of that era. For, 1983 was a vastly different world
achievement is reduced to farce? from the one we live in today.
In a meeting with Kabir more than a year ago, Airfare to England, for instance, was roughly
when he was trying to fill in gaps in information, around Rs 9000 (economy), the pound sterling’s
there was a feeling of reassurance. His passion for value was around Rs 21, bell-bottoms and
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