It was 10 years ago on this day that one of Shah Rukh Khan’s most loved films, Chak De India, released in theatres. The promos of the film were dull, the music (prior to release) wasn’t popular, it was the least hyped Shah Rukh Khan film during his peak and it didn’t have a leading lady either.
Yet, it was one of the best films of Shah Rukh Khan’s career. A film that promised very little before release, but over-delivered. A kind of film, we wish, he does today.
Ask anyone today about the last SRK film they truly loved, most would say Chak De India while the rest would be divided over Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Om Shanti Om, Chennai Express or My Name Is Khan – only because those films released later.
Back in 2007, our website was new and Chak De India was the first ever movie that we rated 5 on 5. It was unlike most Shah Rukh films in those days. There was hardly any hype prior to release, the expectations from the film itself was quite low and watching the first-day-first-show with the entire cinema hall cheering, clapping and whistling for every dialogue and scene from the film is etched in the memory of those who watched the film in theatres in the mid-2000s.
Some Chak De India Dialogues
- Mujhe states ke naam na sunayie dethe hai, na dhikai dete hai. Sirf ek mulk-a-naam sunayi detha hai, I-N-D-I-A
- Jo nahin ho sakta, wahi tho karna hai!
- Har team mein bas ek hi gunda ho saktha hai, aur iss team ka gunda mein hoon!
- Vaar karna hai to mardho ki tarah aage se karo.. Woh kya hai ki humare khel mein chakke nahi hote!!
- Sattar minute, sattar min hai tumhare paas. Shayad yeh tumhare zindagi ke sab se khaas sattar minute. Aaj tum aacha khelo ya bura khelo, yeh sattar minute tumhe zindagi bhar yaad rahegi. Tho kaise khelna hai.. aaj mein tumhe nahin bataunga.. Bas itna kahunga, ki jao aur yeh sattar minute jee bhar kar khelna.. kyunki iske baad aane wali zindagi chahe kuch sahi ho ya na ho.. chahe kuch rahe ya na rahe.. haro ya jeeto..lekin yeh sattar minute.. tumse koi nahin cheen sakta, Kyunki mein jaantha hu ki aagar yeh sattar minute iss team ka har player apne zindagi ki sabse badiya hockey khel gaya.. tho yeh satar minute khuda bhi tumse vapas nahin maang saktha.
Two of the best scenes from the film:
The famous McDonald’s scene from Chak De India, just before the intermission. The girls unite to fight against the boys, followed by SRK’s ‘chakke’ dialogue. The team and the coach then walk out with the title theme playing in the background.
And the scene that really stood out in the film and quite possibly the scene were SRK’s acting skills are on full display, is the climax. It took the emotions around the India win to a different level altogether. Through the scene after the last goal is scored, SRK emotes through his eyes and facial expressions. Even though it was a completely predictable film – that the team was eventually going to win the world cup – you truly feel for Kabir Khan. His struggle, his passion for the game, patriotism.. all culminating in an historic victory.