83 Review: An incredible tale of perseverance, undying spirit and triumph against all odds

83 Movie Review Rating: 4.5/5  

After facing several setbacks, Kabir Khan’s much-awaited film 83 is finally set to enter cinemas on December 24, 2021. The film, which stars Ranveer Singh in the role of cricket legend Kapil Dev, was originally slated to arrive on April 10, 2020. However, the sudden outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic threw a wrench into the works and the makers had to put the release on hold. We got to watch the film yesterday at a special media screening in Mumbai and here’s our verdict.

Story: As the title of the film aptly suggests, 83 chronicles the Indian cricket team’s unprecedented win against West Indies in the 1983 World Cup. How a team of underdogs in the Indian Cricket Team fights against all odds and clinches the coveted World Cup, etching the historic moment in every Indian’s mind forever, forms the crux of the story.

Performances & Direction: 83 is led by Ranveer Singh who effortlessly steps into the mighty shoes of legendary cricketer Kapil Dev. The actor seems to have worked really hard on getting the diction and body language of Dev right and his sincere efforts are conspicuously visible on the screen. Singh is known for giving his hundred percent to each and every character that he essays and he does the same yet again and delivers his career best performance.

Ranveer Singh is ably supported by the rest of the cast of the film that delivers a top-class performance. Pankaj Tripathi as PR Man Singh turns out to be a scene stealer in several scenes. The actor gets some of the best lines and he makes them even more memorable with his terrific performance.

Jiiva as Krishnamachari Srikkanth wins your heart. Saqib Saleem as Mohinder Amarnath, Harrdy Sandhu as Madan Lal, Ammy Virk as Balwinder Sandhu, Dhairya Karwa as Ravi Shastri, Chirag Patil as Sandeep Patil, Sahil Khattar as Syed Kirmani, Adinath Kothare as Dilip Vengsarkar, Dinker Sharma as Kirti Azad, Jatin Sarna as Yashpal Sharma, Nishant Dahiya as Roger Binny, R Badree as Sunil Valson and Tahir Raj Bhasin as Sunil Gavaskar manage to leave a mark. The film also has Deepika Padukone in an extended cameo. She plays Kapil Dev’s wife Romi Dev in the film and delivers a good performance. She lights up the screen every time she appears.

Talking about direction, Kabir Khan successfully manages to capture India’s obsession with cricket and how the unprecedented win in the 1983 World Cup led to this obsession. From Kapil Dev’s iconic catch to Mohinder Amarnath’s spells of swing bowling, he majestically captures the two weeks of the Indian cricket team at the 1983 World Cup. He makes sure to spice up the film with every ingredient that Bollywood films are known for, so you will get to see high-octane drama, emotions, bonding, and how cricket binds every Indian together and that eventually leads to communal harmony. 83 is undoubtedly Kabir Khan’s best work till date.

Technical Aspects: 83 sports a rich production design. The cinematography of the film is excellent and cinematographer Aseem Mishra deserves distinction marks for beautifully capturing the moments of joy, tension, and celebration. The only department where the film lacks a tad bit is its music. Sports dramas generally have at least one song that gives you an adrenaline rush and stays with you for a long period of time. 83 fails to deliver there. The background score is quite immersive though.

Highlights:

Performances, Direction, Cinematography, Production Design

Drawbacks:

Music

Did I Like It? I loved it from the beginning till the very end.

Final Verdict: Even if you do not consider yourself a sports enthusiast, you cannot miss this film for its deft direction, stellar performances from the entire cast, and an edge-of-the-seat climax that will send a tingle of goosebumps up your arms.

Movie Credits

Banner: Reliance Entertainment, Phantom Films, Vibri Media, KA Productions, Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, Kabir Khan Films

Director: Kabir Khan

Cast: 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, R Badree

Runtime: 163 Minutes

83 Trailer: