From Kerala with love: FIFA+ launches its first Indian sports documentary MAITANAM
FIFA and RISE Worldwide on Monday announced the launch of the sports documentary MAITANAM for the newly launched digital streaming platform FIFA+ in India. Produced by RISE Worldwide, MAITANAM joins an elite list of global sports storytelling content as part of the select FIFA+ Originals made available globally.
The 40-minute documentary explores the "Beautiful Game" as played in India, and comprises six inspirational and vivid stories from the Indian state of Kerala where football is a way of life. The docu-film is now streaming worldwide on FIFA+.
Maitanam is a Malayalam word that literally means ‘ground’ or, by extension, ‘stadium’. It attempts to capture Malayali's passion for the sport and also its ubiquity in the state of Kerala.
From the state capital Thiruvananthapuram in the extreme south to the commercial capital Kochi, to the cultural capital Thrissur, the documentary covers diverse terrains, meeting priests who play barefoot, a women’s team that has been making waves in overseas competitions, little girls training under nonagenarians, and a fascinating football commentator whose passion for the game is manifest in every belly-laugh and anecdote to the game of football in the state of Kerala.
Andrew Whitelaw, commissioning editor and APAC content lead at FIFA+, said:
"We are happy to partner with RISE Worldwide as we foray into the Indian market with MAITANAM, a docu-film on football set in the football-loving state of Kerala. FIFA+ Originals are aimed at millions of sports fans across the globe. These films throw up unique perspectives on how football is played across geographies and cultures and the place the game commands in the hearts of fans."
James Rego, the head of broadcast and production at RISE Worldwide, added:
"We thank FIFA for extending this opportunity to showcase the passion for football in parts of India. We are humbled and privileged to bring to the world the extraordinary sway of football across the local grounds and lanes of Kerala in our documentary. We take great pleasure in partnering with FIFA+ and look forward to showcasing our production expertise as we connect with billions of football fans across the world. MAITANAM, shot with state-of-the-art equipment by our world-class creative team, marks India's first step in multilingual indigenous football storytelling.”
You can watch MAITANAM here.