Ramanujan Redux

Did you know that if you’re deaf and dumb, you too can reach glory at the highest sporting levels? This can certainly happen in a country like India, where big muscles will never predominate. You’ll never see someone use steroids in this sport, unless they want to pound the ball into the ground.

Iqbal is pretty much your standard cliche sports hero movie, except this time there’s a disability involved. Also touched upon are the sociological ramifications of cricket and its complete paralyzing of the Indian economy (I’d assume Europe/South America is similar with its soccer leagues), but I know little about these things. I’ d probably just blather on about the diversity of sport in America keeping us ahead of the pack instead of orally fixated on one team, all year.

I have a more interesting question: Why do these type of films appeal to us?

Certainly, being a sports hero has appealed to most of us at an early age. I know it has to me. I always wanted to be Scottie Pippen or Penny Hardaway, using suffocating defense on one end and being the unassuming sidekick to a bigger star (I knew I’d never have the talent to be anything more than unassuming), but genetics constrained me to a pitifully average 5′5″ figure by the age of 20, and I just couldn’t keep up with the faster stars. So I’d have to confine myself to the pickup courts and find passions in another.

So while I think Iqbal is a celebration of one star finding his dreams, we should also realize that our dreams are right in front of us. Ask yourself: What is it that you want to do? What is it that you enjoy doing more than anything else? Would you be willing to do anything to realize those dreams like Iqbal? Or will you be a spectator and let the Iqbals around you fulfill what’s in front of them?

Movies like this make me realize how far I must go. I have a lot to do.

Why do you enjoy about the inspirational sports film? (Think Hoosiers, The Mighty Ducks, etc.)

One other note: There is an interesting use of strategy in this movie I noticed after reading 33 Strategies of War–lull the enemy into a false sense of security, let him think that he has the advantage over you, and then pounce. It’s at the climax of the film, and it’s pretty badass. Highly enjoyable film.