Shah Rukh Khan's 'Chak De India' makers accused of twisting facts

Indian actor-presenter Annu Kapoor accused the makers of Shah Rukh Khan-led sports drama ‘Chak De India’ of twisting facts in favour of Muslims.

Speaking to an Indian news agency, Annu Kapoor claimed that the story of ‘Chak De India’ was based on coach Mir Ranjan Negi, of the Indian women’s hockey team, however, the character was renamed to Muslim protagonist Kabir Khan, in order to fit into a communal narrative.

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Kapoor said, “The main character in Chak De India is based on a famous coach, Negi Saab. But in India, they want to show a Muslim as a good character and make fun of a Pandit (Hindu priest).”

“This is something old, where they use the idea of Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb (Hindu-Muslim unity) to put a label on it,” he added.

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Starring Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan with 16 new actors as female hockey players, director Shimit Amin’s ‘Chak De India’ was released in August 2007, coinciding with Indian Independence Day.

The title followed the former captain of the Indian men’s hockey team, who was ostracized from the sport owing to religious prejudice after a disastrous loss to Pakistan before he became the coach of the Indian national women’s hockey team to redeem himself by winning the World Cup.

Apart from the Box office success, the sports biopic received widespread critical acclaim for its story, direction, feminist theme as well as strong performances of the cast.