Today its time to move away from the usual and move to a genre that’s yet to find its moorings in India – the sports documentary.
ASHOK’s FIVE reviews #BeyondtheBoundary, a documentary film on the 17-day ICC Women’s World Cup tournament that popped up on #NetflixIndia last week. For the sports fans, there are fantastic visuals of the games, peppered by absorbing commentary and some insightful interviews of the tourney culminating with Australia beating India in the finals. For the not-so-intense sports fanatics, this is an equally good watch as it documents the battle that a group of constituents are engaged in to establish their identity in a male dominated world.
1. This is the first time that ICC content is being streamed on an OTT platform and I wonder why such precious footage has not been exploited creatively earlier. In this case, the premier administrative organisation does perfect stewardship for women’s cricket in an unprecedented manner. Manu Sawhney, chief executive officer, ICC, said, "The film captures all the action and drama from the tournament, which set new benchmarks for not just women’s cricket but all women’s sport and gives fans around the world the chance to relive one of the greatest ICC events we have ever staged.”
2. The penny-drop moment for me though was the interview with the Thailand captain #SornnarinTippoch when she says that her family does not even know or acknowledge what she is doing. And it is precisely this crisis of identity that has been the bane for these women over the decades. With very few championing their cause, it is a constant battle for acceptance; celebration is still very far away! As #AlyssaHealy says, it is an ongoing battle to establish herself as a cricketer in her own right and not claim to fame for being the niece of #IanHealy or being married to #MitchellStarc!
3. The finals was played on International Women’s Day and the 86,174 spectators who filed into the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground that day is a record in itself. As you see #KatyPerry perform and the energy and the sizzle, you realise that this is now an idea whose time has come. For me, however, the moment of reckoning was that catch that NewZealander #SuzieBates took to dismiss #BethMooney. Amazing athleticism and fitness!
4. As Australia celebrates the win, Ian Bishop in his trademark Baritone intones “This should be the template for sports in any country” and you are forced to admit how Australia has emerged as the world’s foremost sporting power. In the background, the women are celebrating and singing with joy!
5. Sports documentaries are actually not about the Sport itself. They are about ideas, attitudes, identity, emotions, heartbreaks, aspirations and about the glory. As you sit through the one-hour odd film, you realise what the players would have felt as they build careers just like any other sportsperson but always under a shadow.
In January 2019, I was lucky to witness the pink test at the SCG where Virat Kohli and the young Indian team defeated the Australians and lifted the Border-Gavaskar trophy. On the side-lines, I got to catch up with some of the women players from the Sri Lankan National team. It was fascinating to see the passion they brought to the table; what struck me was also the immense hardship both social and economic that they had to contend with. Given how sport is the ultimate reality show, I wonder why film-makers do not focus enough on this genre. #BeyondtheBoundary is an express shout-out to all the women athletes. Time to give them their due!
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