Days after 'Maidaan' director Amit Ravindernath Sharma spoke about the comparisons of his film with Shah Rukh Khan starrer sports drama 'Chak De! India', now, actress Priyamani has also opened up about it. Ajay Devgn's 'Maidaan' revolves around the inspiring story of coach Syed Abdul Rahim, who works hard to put Indian football into the global platform by training the youngsters who stay in slums. Ajay is playing the titular character. The movie is finally releasing in theatres on April 10 after several delays.
Priyamani who plays Ajay's on-screen wife in 'Maidaan' told India Today, “Honestly, I can tell you two differences right off the bat. First, that was hockey, this is football. Second, in Chak De India, you had 11 women running around and here, you have like 11 men running, in fact 22 if you also consider the other side. But again, this is not a story just about football.”
The 'Jawan' actress added, “It is not like it was in Chak De where you already have an established team, and the ladies were scouted from different state teams who then come together to represent India. Here, the coach goes and scouts talents from each and every corner of India and brings them together. The movie is about the golden era of football, which was the 50s and 60s, and how he took this team to the Asian Games.”
She also said, “There is a beautiful story about Rahim saab’s family as well. It delves into the sacrifices they've made together, the dynamics between him and his wife, and the pivotal role the family plays in the story''.
Recently, Amit told the same portal that there are no similarities between both films and added ''except maybe 22 players are running after one ball on the field. The story is different, the struggle is different. This is also not a sports biopic, it's the journey of Abdul Rahim. Maidaan is about his emotional journey. Football is just the medium."
