Sports dramas have always worked well for the audience, and that’s one of the reasons why filmmakers keep making films in this genre. These films not only evoke powerful emotions amongst the audience but also give a great insight into the competitive world of sports. After a long break, Ajay Devgn is now bringing one such true story about a sportsperson through his upcoming film Maidaan. With the film being cleared of plagiarism charges by the Karnataka High Court earlier today, here’s a look at the powerful story that goes behind this sports drama.
The film, which was announced in 2019, stars Devgn in the titular role of Indian football coach, Syed Abdul Rahim. The film will revolve around the golden era of Indian football during the years 1952–1962 and will chronicle the massive contribution of Abdul Rahim. The true story of how he became this legendary coach will become the main premise of Maidaan. Let’s get to know the man a little better.
The true story behind Maidaan
Syed Abdul Rahim, popularly known as Rahim Saab is regarded as the architect of modern Indian football. He was a great sportsman and an even better teacher. His tenure as a coach is considered as the “golden age” of football in India. Under his guidance, the national football team learned new techniques and tactics and was renowned for their unique way of playing the sport.
The team was so good that they went on to win Gold medals in the Asian Games, play the semi-finals of the Summer Olympics (making India the first-ever Asian country to attain this position), win the titles of the Colombo Cup, and more. And since Maidaan is based on the true story of Syed Abdul Rahim’s greatness, these key moments will surely become a part of the storyline.
How did Syed Abdul Rahim get into sports?
Rahim started his career as a school teacher but soon got interested in football and started taking it more seriously. He played his initial matches for the football team of Osmania University, the same university from where he had finished his graduation. His team was called “Eleven Hunters” and included a team of students from the college.
However, he soon shifted his focus back to teaching. After gaining a degree in arts, he started working as a teacher in schools including Kachiguda Middle School, Urdu Sharif School, Darul-ul-Uloom High School and Chaderghat High School. But his heart still belonged to football. He decided to take a diploma in physical education and later took charge of all the sports activities in the last two schools where he worked as a teacher.
During this, he also represented Qamar Club in local matches. His team was considered one of the best teams in the local league. He then played for the Dutch Amateur League club HSV Hoek in the Nederlands and finally landed a job as a football team manager.
His success as a manager
His journey to become India’s most legendary football coach began in 1943. He was elected as the secretary of the Hyderabad Football Association and was later made the secretary of the Andhra Pradesh Football Association. It was during this time he worked on developing the infrastructure of the game. He was then offered the position of Hyderabad City Police FC’s coach after Norbert Andrew Fruvall retired from the position. He managed the team from 1950 until he died in 1963.
Under his supervision, the team won five consecutive Rovers Cups and went to the finales of five Durand Cups, winning three of them. Rahim also coached the football team for the Santosh Trophy, which was known as the senior national championships. The team won consecutive championships, defeating Bombay both times in the finals. The true story behind these achievements will also be a part of Ajay Devgn’s Maidaan.
The most iconic win that landed in Rahim’s lap was when he became the manager of the Indian national football team in 1950. India had not been a part of the 1950 FIFA World Cup, and he was tasked with training the team that toured Ceylon in 1949. This was the beginning of the “golden era” of Indian football. Rahim trained the team in a way that it became one of the best football teams in Asia. They went on to win a gold medal during the inaugural 1951 Asian Games in New Delhi.
During Rahim’s tenure, the Indian football team enjoyed immense success. The team reached the semi-finals of the 1956 Melbourne Olympics which is considered India’s greatest-ever achievement in football. Football players like Neville D’Souza, Samar Banerjee, P. K. Banerjee, and J. Krishnaswamy became world-famous players because of Rahim. His last success was at the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta, where India won gold, beating South Korea in the finals.
Talent that he brought into the game
Rahim is credited for bringing up and nurturing several Indian talents during his glorious tenure as a football coach. The list includes names like Nikhil Nandy, Mariappa Kempaiah, Peter Thangaraj, Dharmalingam Kannan, Nikhil Nandy, Chuni Goswami, Jarnail Singh, Tulsidas Balaram, Sheikh Abdul Latif, Hussain Ahmed, Mohammed Rahmatullah, Kesto Pal, Yousuf Khan, and Amal Dutta.
More about Maidaan
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Since Maidaan is based on a true story, it has been grabbing many eyeballs since its announcement. Directed by Amit Sharma, the film has been produced by Boney Kapoor, Akash Chawla, Arunava Joy Sengupta and Zee Studios. Apart from Ajay Devgn, the film also stars Priyamani, Rudranil Ghosh and Gajraj Rao in key roles. The film was scheduled for a theatrical release on 23 June 2023 but was postponed to April 2024. It has finally been released in theatres. So, go and watch the film now.
Hero and feature Image: Courtesy Amit Sharma/Instagram
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
