Rating : 3.25/5
An electric disposition of dialectic diaspora
Introduction
Every living being has to have a goal, an aim and an objective. However, the means of achieving them are as important as the ends. The film Goal, through the metaphor of soccer, showcases the troubles, tribulations, trials and travails of Asian immigrants in the United Kingdom. The sporadic spectrum of specious nativity syndrome ushers in a dynamic unity to overcome diabolic alien diatribe.
Goal is an altogether different ball game.
Synopsis
A soccer outfit, United Club in Southall in England is on lease to an Indian NRI and its captain is Shaan ( Arshad Warsi). The club’s football ground is on lease and the club has defaulted in paying the lease amount. If the arrears are not paid within 11 months, the United Club stands to lose the premises.
The only way available is to win the English premier football league, which would net the club 3 million pounds. Shaan and the ragtag team of footballers approach Tony ( Boman Irani), an ace yesteryear’s player, to be their coach. The team puts out a charity box for donations and collects a decent amount to buy the kit and other gear. Shaan’s sister ( Bipasha Basu) functions as the team physiotherapist.
They practice hard, but lose the first two games of the premier league. Meanwhile, Sunny (John Abraham), an ace striker and son of a reputed ex-footballer, practicing with Aston Club is not selected into the final team of that club. Tony brings Sunny into the United Club, though the captain does not see eye to eye with the striker.
With the able handling by the coach, the Southall United Club reaches the final. Bakshi (Dalip Tahil), who is in league with those who want to takeover the United Club grounds for commercial development, manages to persuade Sunny to join another prestigious club, by offering a fortune. The condition is that Sunny should not play for Southall United Club with immediate effect.
Without Sunny in the team, United club is likely to lose the game and also its premises. Will Southall win the league without Sunny? Only the climax of the picture has the answer.
Performance
John Abraham gives a lesson in method acting. He is restrained and yet reverberating. He looks like a real life soccer champion. Arshad Warsi is truly stupendous with flowing streams of emotions. Boman Irani is simply spectacular. He appears to have inherited the best of Premnath, Anupam Kher and Paresh Rawal.The dusky and husky Bipasha Basu is as ethereal as ever and gives a subdued, but stunning performance. The debonair Dalip Tahil gives an unerring dignity to villainy. New comer Zayed Naqui is promising. The lesser artistes and the supporting cast too gave a very convincing performance.
Technical
Screenplay by Vikram Aditya and Rohit Malhotra is conspicuously gripping, with predominant pauses and silences, when the characters in the film are in the process of understanding themselves and others. The dialogues by Anurag Kashyap and Rohit Malhotra are crisp, to the point and easy on the ear.
Lyrics by Javed Akhtar are, as usual, up to the lofty standards, the poet fixed for himself. Pritam scored some of the best music for a film in recent years. Though only one qawali was picturised, choreographer Saroj Khan had shown that she is still a serious competitor to Farah et al.
Cinematography by Attar Singh Saini is marvelous, particularly the canning of soccer matches. The editing by Hemanth Kothari is smooth and silky. Audiography and dts mixing is on par with international standards. The football consultant Andrew Owusu Ansah did a splendid job.
The director Vivek Agnihothri has certainly come of age and delivered a sure winner. UTV Motion pictures and Bindass have produced a lavish film.
Judgement
Like a symphony, Goal the film commences sedately, gradually picking up tempo and concludes in an astounding crescendo.
For football fans, Goal is a must watch. For film buffs, Goal is an excellent study in crossover cinema. For the regular movie-goers, Goal is simply enthralling.
Deen Kumar
