83 (film)

83 is a 2021 Indian Hindi-language biographical sports drama film written and directed by Kabir Khan and produced by Deepika Padukone, Kabir Khan, Vishnu Vardhan Induri and Sajid Nadiadwala. Based on the India national cricket team led by Kapil Dev, which won the 1983 Cricket World Cup, and jointly written by Khan, along with Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan, Vasan Bala and Sumit Arora, it features an ensemble cast including Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Pankaj Tripathi, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Jiiva, Saqib Saleem, Jatin Sarna, Chirag Patil, Dinker Sharma, Nishant Dahiya, Harrdy Sandhu, Sahil Khattar, Ammy Virk, Adinath Kothare, Dhairya Karwa and R. Badree.

Vishnu Vardhan Induri who first owned the rights for the film and Madhu Mantena, the co-producer in Phantom Films, formally met the Indian squad of 1983 during mid-July 2016, and its frontman Kapil Dev, where they signed a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) to make the official biopic. In September 2017, Reliance Entertainment co-financed the project and officially announced the biopic with members of the winning team, with Singh and Khan brought on board. Following an extensive casting and pre-production process, the film began principal photography on 5 June 2019, where it was majorly shot in and around England for three months and a brief schedule took place in India, before filming being wrapped up on 7 October.

Originally scheduled for a theatrical release in April 2020, the film was delayed several times due to the casting and pre-production works that delayed filming, and also due to the COVID-19 pandemic in India, resulting in the film being delayed until December 2021. It premiered at the Red Sea International Film Festival on 15 December and released worldwide on 24 December 2021 (Christmas Eve) in conventional 2D and 3D formats, distributed by PVR Pictures in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada languages, apart from the original version. The film received widespread acclaim from critics and audiences alike, praising the performances of the cast, screenplay, direction and technical aspects. However, the film was unsuccessful at the Indian box office, although it became the highest grossing Hindi film of 2021 overseas.

At the 67th Filmfare Awards, 83 received 14 nominations, including Best Director (Khan), Best Supporting Actor (Tripathi) and Best Male Playback Singer (Arijit Singh for "Lehra Do"), and won two awards – Best Actor (Ranveer Singh) and Best Lyricist (Munir for "Lehra Do").

Plot

In 1983 BCCI officials in Mumbai are invited to the Cricket World Cup. The team arrive London where they witness the West Indies Cricket Team being hounded by paparazzi.

Despite abysmal performance in warm-up matches, Indian captain Kapil Dev tells the press they are here to win. At a Buckingham Palace reception, the Queen wishes the teams luck. Dev gives the team an inspirational speech in his novice English.

India is in Group B alongside Australia, West Indies, and Zimbabwe. India unexpectedly wins against West Indies at Old Trafford. Yashpal Sharma is Player of the Match for his 89 runs - the highest by an Indian cricketer at the time. They win their next match against Zimbabweat Grace Road, Leicester. Sandeep Patil scores a half-century and Madan Lal is Player of the Match.

The team loses badly against Australia. Sunil Gavaskar is unable to play due to a leg injury.

In the West Indies match, Viv Richards scores 119 runs off 146 deliveries. In a violent second innings Malcolm Marshall bowls bouncers. Dilip Vengsarkar is hit on the chin and has seven stitches. Mohinder Amarnath scores 80 runs but India lose by 66 runs.

The team's morale is depressed as Vengsarkar's injury rules him out of remaining matches and the team bus is blocked by celebrating West Indies crowds, but a young boy waving an Indian flag raises their spirits.

The Zimbabwe match on 18 June at Nevill Ground will be India's last of the tournament if they lose. The cricketers' wives come and Gavaskar is back in the team. India opens shakily with nine runs for four wickets. Dev starts scoring but the wickets keep falling. After lunch, Dev takes the Mongoose bat and hits boundaries. He is confused to receive a standing ovation for a single, until congratulated by the umpire for having broken the world record. India wins by 31 runs. It is the first century by an Indian in a One Day International match.

At the High Commissioner's party Krishnamachari Srikkanth jokes that everyone thought Dev was mad for saying they would beat the West Indies, but would now only be happy holding the World Cup.

India easily beats Australia by 118 runs at County Ground, Chelmsford, with Roger Binny named Player of the Match. Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi orders that every town and village in the country get television service for the semi-final against England.

English batsmen score heavily to start. Balwinder Sandhu's bowling suffers from his fiancée having ended their engagement. Kirti Azad takes Ian Botham's wicket. England is 213 all out. In the second inning Amarnath and Yashpal Sharma build runs until Amarnath is run out. During the partnership of Dev and Patil, Patil hits a four to qualify India for the finals. Amarnath is named Player of the Match.

India faces the West Indies again in the final on 25 June at Lord's. Gavaskar is dismissed for two runs, Srikkanth scores 38. India is all out for 183, the lowest score in the World Cup final. Dev inspires his team to restrict the West Indies score.

In the second inning, Sandhu gives India a lead taking the wicket of Gordon Greenidge. Richards launches a barrage of boundaries off Madan Lal's bowling, until Richards lofts in the air for six but is caught out by Dev. West Indies wickets fall rapidly. With West Indies nine wickets down, Amarnath bowls to last batsman Michael Holding. The ball hits his pads. Amarnath, the team, and the crowd roar "Howzat?" Holding is given out and India wins the World Cup. The squad rushes to the dressing rooms as the crowd invades and celebrations begin in India. A young Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai promises he will play cricket for India. Amarnath is named Player of the Match and Dev, with the Indian team, lifts the trophy.

The real Kapil Dev gives his experience of winning the World Cup as the credits roll.

Cast

Production

Origin

A film based on the 1983 Cricket World Cup and India's win at the tournament was first ideated by Vishnu Vardhan Induri the founder and managing director of Celebrity Cricket League in 2014 and he approached Kapil Dev with the Idea initially. In mid-July 2016, Phantom Films — a joint production company owned by Madhu Mantena, featuring the collaborations of directors Anurag Kashyap, Vikas Bahl and Vikramaditya Motwane also expressed their interest in co-producing the film, citing their passion for cricket. 83 is touted to be the first venture of Vishnu Vardhan Induri's newly formed production house, Vibri Media. The squad members of the 1983 team, along with former Indian cricketer Kapil Dev met the producers at a suburban hotel in Mumbai, discussing about the film. In the process, the two production companies had signed a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the 1983 team to make an official biopic, where according to the norms, the producers will get to use the actual names of the players as well as use real incidents from their lives. In an official statement regarding the biopic, Dev stated that "the journey of the 1983 team is a story of inspiration which proves that one can achieve anything if they aim for it and work for it no matter what the world thinks".

Development

Despite the official announcement, the makers were yet to finalise the cast and crew members and the director of the project. Rumours surfaced that Kabir Khan was going to direct the project with either Ranveer Singh, Arjun Kapoor or Sushant Singh Rajput playing the role of Kapil Dev. When Khan was asked about his role in the biopic, he stated that "he was fascinated on the story of India's journey at the 1983 Cricket World Cup" but remained silent on the claims of directing the film. Akshay Kumar was also rumoured to act in the film, which was later declined. On 25 September 2017, Phantom Films announced that Singh would play the role of Kapil Dev, and Kabir Khan too confirmed that he will direct the film.

As a young schoolboy when I watched India win the 1983 Cricket World Cup. I had no idea that from that day onwards cricket in India will change forever. As a filmmaker, for me, the journey to that win, filled with raw energy and sheer passion of that young Indian team, is probably one of the most exciting stories I have worked on.

A launch event was hosted at JW Marriott Mumbai on 27 September 2017 by Reliance Entertainment and Vibri Media to announce the biopic officially under the title 83. Singh and the entire former team that won the Cricket World Cup in 1983 were present at the event. Speaking at the event, Khan said that the makers will begin pre-production and location scouting by late-November 2017, and has planned to shoot the film in real locations, in order to create authenticity and also "to give youngsters to celebrate the milestone in the history of Indian Cricket which happened when many were not even born".