‘World Cupp 2011′ about cricketer-bookie nexus (IANS Preview)
By IANSSunday, December 13, 2009
NEW DELHI - “World Cupp 2011″ joins the list of movies based on sports. Debutant director-actor Ravi Kapoor claims he is all set to unveil the nexus between cricketers and bookies with the film that releases Friday.
Kapoor, who has written and produced the film himself, plays the lead in the film that also stars Zakir Hussain, Suresh Oberoi, Prem Chopra and Smita Jayakar.
Made on a budget of Rs.11 crore, “World Cupp 2011″ also stars former cricket players Saba Karim and Nikhil Chopra as themselves. It is releasing with around 500 prints.
Kapoor claims to have disclosed almost all controversies that happened in the real world of cricket with the movie. The film shows how after the dance bars were closed down in Mumbai, the underworld had to focus on sports as a source of making money.
In the film, Ravi Indulkar is the captain of the Indian cricket team and he and his four team members — Rajpal, Hiten, Irfan and Balwinder - fix a World Cup match against Pakistan with with a bookie called Shobhan.
The twist in the story comes when they are exposed by press reporter Balakrishnan. And Indulkar and his teammates are banned by the cricket board for four years.
Things take an interesting turn when the team’s coach gives them a chance to play in World Cup 2011.
Shobhan once again tries to fix the match with Indulkar’s help, but this time he refuses. In retaliation the bookie kidnaps his girlfriend and the climax entails the struggle for her rescue and Indulkar’s strokes to India’s victory.
Considering that the only known hits based on the game are “Lagaan” and “Jannat”, it is to be seen if “World Cupp 2011″ manages to attract audiences with its string of ‘revelations’, specially since it is the only release coming Friday.
