The image was shared on X. (courtesy: anyvermaut)
Ajay Devgn is currently gearing up for the release of his upcoming film Maidaan. In the film, he will portray the role of a football coach. The narrative of the film revolves around the inspiring story of Syed Abdul Rahim, who dedicatedly works towards elevating Indian football onto the global stage by assembling and training a team, which notably includes talented youngsters from the slums. Following the release of the film's trailer, some fans drew comparisons between Maidaanand the iconic sports drama Chak De! India. Addressing these comparisons, director Amit Ravindernath Sharma spoke about the distinctiveness of Maidaan in an interview with India Today. He said, "As soon as a sports film arrives, people compare these films because of the story of a coach and players. Even before watching the film, people assume that it's a similar film."
Amit Sharma further elaborated, "There are no similarities between these films, 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."
Refuting the notion of likeness to Chak De! India," which starred Shah Rukh Khan as the coach of the women's national hockey team, Amit Sharma highlighted the unique essence of Maidaan. He expressed, "Challenges are always good, as one would get bored making the same films. The most important thing is that audiences will finally get to know about this man. They need to know what he's done for the country. There is no jingoism, but just his utmost love for India and football."
Maidaan, featuring Priyamani and Gajraj Rao in significant roles, is slated for release on April 10. The film will clash with Bade Miyan Chote Miyan starring Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff and Prithviraj Sukumaran in lead roles.