Chak De! India, a fantastic illustration by Shimit Amin, an excellent movie starring Shah Rukh Khan is an impeccable example of what it takes to become a good team!
The film tells the tale of a misfit group of hockey players who came together as the national women’s hockey team and won the World Championship against all odds. With Hockey being a game that relies heavily on teamwork and coordination, it is only an extraordinary team that can win the championship. Here’s what makes this an amazing team:
Sharing the same goal
As Kabir Khan says,”Maine kaha tha na, team banane ke liye taakat nahi … niyat chahiye!“
[“I told you right, to build a team, you don’t need strength, you need a motive!”]
The first time we see these players, they all identify with their state teams. It’s when they identify themselves as Team India and start working towards the goal of winning the World Championship that the magic begins to unfold.
“Mujhe states ke naam na sunai dete hai na dikhai dete hai…Sirf ek mulk ka naam sunai deta hai: I-N-D-I-A!”
[“I neither hear nor see the name of the states… Only the name of one nation is audible: I-N-D-I-A!”]
Being there for each other
As they start training together, these players form connections and spend time having fun with each other off the ground. When Kabir Khan takes the team out for a farewell treat, a few men catcall Mary and Molly. When Balbir, another player, notices this, she slaps one of the men, starting a brawl. All the girls then get together and take on a group of men. This shows us what all people can do when they put their might together.
Training and Motivation
We see coach Kabir Khan setting and taking the team through intense training. He observed each player keenly and then placed them at positions best suited. We see the team waking up before the sun and going on runs together, keeping each other’s morale up.
Even when the Hockey association refuses to sponsor the women’s team, Kabir suggests a match between the men’s and women’s teams. When the girls learn of this, they are left with no hope. Kabir tries to boost their spirits at this point.
“Mujhe is team par poora bharosa hai. kya is team ko khud par bharosa hai?”, motivates Khan.
[“I believe in this team. Does the team believe in themselves?]
Filling in for each other’s skills
In a team, not everyone is equal, much like the fingers on one’s hand. They can win together when they support each other with their unique skills. When the team has a particularly challenging match with Argentina where their players are getting injured, Balbir comes forward with her brute strength to enable her team’s forwards to score. When everyone else failed to score with Korea’s one-to-one marking, the players – Bindiya and Gunjan, with their extensive experience- led the team to win.
Putting the team above oneself
In the movie, we notice a rift between Preeti and Komal. They never saw each other as teammates nor cooperated, even during the matches. But towards the end of the movie, the story takes an entirely different course regarding the two ladies. “Preeti! Ja dikhade us launde ko!” (“Preeti! Go show that guy!”), says Komal, when she unexpectedly passes the ball to Preeti, who scores them an important point in the match.
This is what really makes a group of people, truly a team.
In conclusion, Chak De! India is a masterpiece that will keep you at the edge of your seat as you wipe away tears at truly emotional moments we witness. Everyone has something to learn, and you learn something new every time you rewatch it. Do let us know what you learned from it in the comments below.