Sachin Live From Pune

 
Directed by Ganesh Devidas Kadam | Reviewed by Samiksha Periwal

When an Indian hears the name Sachin, the first thing that comes to mind is cricket, and the thought of Mr. Sachin Tendulkar being referred to as “the God of Cricket.” This narrative is also about a young, aspiring cricketer from Pune named Sachin Panwar, who dreams each day to become the greatest player in the sport like his idol. His unwavering passion for cricket drives him to improve every day by practicing without the support of any sort of professional training. This gifted young man observes other kids practicing in a large stadium under the supervision of a coach and learns by simply watching them play. Everyone who watches him play is astounded to learn that he has never been trained and yet is so talented. His talent alone provides him with the greatest opportunity of his life, as he gets a to showcase his skills in the All India Under-Eighteen Team selection process. However, destiny has other plans for him and an unfortunate accident changes the entire course of the story. What and how things take shape from here is for the viewers to explore on watching this film.

‘Sachin Live from Pune’, is majorly a sports-oriented film which highlights the hard work, passion and challenges that every sportsperson has to face in order to achieve success. Moreover, the level of competition is so high in this field that often even the best of the best cannot make it to that one spot because of several issues such as finance, corruption or simply luck. The protagonist of this narrative, belongs from a slum area in Pune living with his small yet extremely loving family that is ready to support their child’s dreams and do everything in their power to ensure that he leads a happy life. This boy matures before his age as he witnesses the hardships of living in poverty, he respects and adores his parents for giving him more than they could afford and wishes to give them a wonderful life by becoming a top-class cricketer. While Sachin does everything he can, fate has other plans, and a seemingly trivial event ends up putting an end to everything for the family as well as him.

The emotions captured throughout the story are overwhelming yet extremely real. The struggles of this innocent teenager are relatable for thousands of young aspiring players out there. The story’s simplicity aids in establishing an immediate connection with the viewers. Moreover, the performance of the entire cast, especially Sachin Panwar aka Alok Kudale is praiseworthy. Injuries are an unavoidable part of a sportsperson’s life, and the director hopes to bring attention to this aspect of their profession through his film, while also addressing the concerns of ordinary lower and middle-class children who aspire to achieve greatness in such competitive fields as sports or entertainment. He has surely hit the target by narrating this story just the right way.

The director, Ganesh Devidas Kadam is currently working in the Pune Municipal Corporation as a senior clerk and he acquired the skill of filmmaking a few years later. His film “Flyover” released in 2010 is listed in the Limca Book of Records-2013 for its unique style of production as has also been appreciated in various national level film festivals. He still continues to keep his passion alive by contributing to the world of cinema through his wonderful short films.

‘Sachin Live from Pune’ is an emotional, inspirational and realistic short film that purely captures the struggles of a teenage boy, who aspires to be a great cricketer and make his parents proud. The circumstances and obstacles of his journey will definitely make the audience feel for the poor soul whose innocence and extraordinary acting skills keep you hoked on to your screen waiting for the next event in this enthusiastic boy’s life to unfold.

Samiksha Periwal is an 18 year old student from Kolkata, West Bengal. She is an enthusiast, eager to learn and explore. She has done her schooling from Lakshmipat Singhania Academy, Kolkata and is currently a student of Christ University, Bangalore pursuing a triple major in BA Psychology, Sociology and English. She is a passionate writer and has won many laurels for her school through the years.