5 Indian Olympic triumphs that deserve to be preserved on celluloid
At the Olympics, countries like Kenya have won umpteen gold medals in athletics, while others, like India, have just 28. Perhaps that's why even Olympic bronze medals are treated no less than gold in India.
However, there have been many occasions when an Olympic medal, irrespective of its color, has been the talk of the town for decades. Be it the years of effort invested in it, or the way in which it was won, some of India's triumphs at the quadrennial event have been nothing less than legendary.
Some of these achievements have been converted into interesting movies as well. Be it Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, the official biopic of Milkha Singh, who missed out on a historic Olympic medal by a whisker, or Gold, the story of India's first Olympic medal as a free nation. We also got a glimpse into the pains Saina Nehwal underwent in earning India's first Olympic medal in badminton, through Saina.
Plans are currently underway for a biopic on independent India's first Olympic hero, Major Dhyan Chand. It will be directed by Abhishek Chaubey, known for such movies as Ishqiya, Udta Punjab and Sonchiriya.
However, there have also been some heroic Olympic tales involving Indians, which have not yet gotten their dues on the silver screen. From KD Jadhav to Pullela Gopichand, we have many stories that can inspire generations if they were retold to a new generation by way of cinema or webseries.
We also have a fair share of tragedies involving Indian Olympic legends as well, be it Sushil Kumar's fall from grace or an impatient decision that cost a boxer like Gurcharan Singh both pride and fame.
As India prepares for the Tokyo Olympics, we look at some of the remarkable victories by Indian athletes that deserve a space on either the silver screen or the OTT platforms: