07 September,2020 12:35 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Ajay Devgn and Mukul Dev
While everybody is aware and eagerly waiting for Ajay Devgn's Maidaan, which chronicles the golden years of Indian football after Independence, here's another film in the making based on the country's football scene after 1947. Actor Mukul Dev, who was Devgn's co-star in Son of Sardaar, will be seen in Barefoot Warrior, a film that celebrates the unsung heroes of the sport as well as the Indian team that played at the 1948 London Olympics barefoot.
Mukul Dev told IANS, "It's a very exciting project. Football has been a constant love since I was a kid. It's like a journey back to those times. India has a glorious footballing past and it's about those heroes who made it happen despite all odds and even to the extent that they didn't even have shoes to play football. It's a great story waiting to be told on celluloid. We can't wait for it to come to the audience."
Barefoot Warrior will be directed by Kavi Raz, and will also feature "Never Back Down" star Sean Faris, Rajpal Yadav, and Jobanpreet Singh.
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The film in question is about the first national football team of independent India. The story is inspired by the Indian team that played brilliantly at the 1948 London Olympics despite most players playing barefoot, and becoming eligible to participate in the 1950 World Cup.
The film is based on the "golden years of Indian Football". Ajay Devgn's character is said to be based on the legendary coach Syed Abdul Rahim, who is widely considered the founding father of Indian football. Rahim was manager of the Indian national football team from 1950 until his death in 1963. He is regarded as the architect of modern Indian football.
While Maidaan is slated for a theatrical release on August 13, 2021, Barefoot Warrior's release date is not out yet. Let's see who makes it to the screen first.
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