Azhar
2016 · Directed by Anthony D'Souza
Original language: Hindi
- drama
The story
The famous and idolized Indian cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin, known as Azhar, faces in court those who accuse him of match-fixing in exchange for large sums of money during the national team's tour of South Africa.
What it’s like
Warm, saturated interiors and sun-drenched stadium afternoons give this biographical drama a polished commercial gloss, with bright daylight on cricket grounds, glossy hotel-lobby sheen, and courtroom scenes shot in cooler, flatter tones. The camera mostly stays close and mobile during matches, with quick cuts and a crowd-roar soundtrack lifting the energy, then settles into steadier medium shots when the story turns to hearings and confessions. The score swells with rousing strings and pop-leaning songs, and the mood is buoyant, romantic and dramatic by turns, more about charisma and reputation than dread. Its pacing moves briskly through flashbacks and song interludes, and its arc follows a celebrated sportsman whose public image is tested as he fights to clear his name, with the emotional weight resting on his marriage and loyalty to friends. Violence is absent; the tension is verbal and social, with some brief emotional confrontation and no gore or sexual content. It suits viewers who enjoy sports-world drama, Bollywood-style music and star performances, and a rainy-weekend watch with a hopeful, redemptive tone.
More films like Azhar
Closest in mood, pacing and theme. Tell us why you loved Azharand we’ll explain which ones fit you.
