The Kabir Khan directed film ’83, which chronicles India’s historic and inspirational World Cup triumph in England, will be watched by the Kapil Dev led squad only after it has been released in theatres. Khan has confirmed that Kapil has conveyed his team’s refusal to watch the film in any of the pre-release screenings, stating they will experience it only after the theatrical release.
“Kapil Dev sir told us that they will all sit together as a team and watch 83 when it’s released. They have refused to see any screening,”
Khan said in an interview with The Indian Express, with the much-awaited film set to release this December 24.
Speaking glowingly of the film that he has managed to compile with superstar Ranveer Singh playing the role of captain and allrounder Kapil, Khan said that the movie is a “labour of love” they have nurtured for years.
“It’s been a labour of love that we have nurtured for years. I cannot wait for everyone to finally watch that come alive on screen,”
he added, also clearing the air that he would’ve cast Deepika Padukone as Kapil’s wife Romi Bhatia even if she wasn’t Ranveer’s wife in real life.
After years of anticipation and delays due to the pandemic, the ’83 film is finally going to be released for the fans in the theatres. The film features India’s inspirational journey from world cricket undergods to World Cup winners in the space of weeks, with Kapil holding the ‘Prudential Cup’ at Lord’s being the defining image of India’s valour and fight against the odds.
Despite having won just one previous World Cup game – against associates East Africa in 1975 – and facing two previous group stage exits, Kapil’s army went on to bag the coveted silverware. They defeated West Indies and Zimbabwe in their first two matches but then subsequent defeats to Australia and Windies left them needing to win all of their remaining games.
This is when Kapil led his side from the front with an epic 175 against Zimbabwe in a virtual knock-out fixture when India were 17/5 at the Tunbridge Wells. Ranveer’s depiction of Kapil’s never-televised-knock and India’s great turnaround thereafter are one of the most exciting features of the ’83 film.
