Iqbal is a 2005 Indian coming-of-age sports drama film written and directed by Nagesh Kukunoor. Produced by Subhash Ghai, under “Mukta Searchlight Films”, the story follows a cricket-obsessed deaf and mute boy from a remote Indian village as he aims to overcomes difficulties to become a cricketer and fulfill his dream of playing for the Indian national cricket team. The film received the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues.
The film was screened retrospective on 18 August 2016 at the Independence Day Film Festival jointly presented by the Indian Directorate of Film Festivals and Ministry of Defense, commemorating 70th Indian Independence Day.
Iqbal (Shreyas Talpade) is a deaf and mute boy, who dreams of playing cricket for India. However, he is discouraged by his father who thinks that Iqbal’s daydreams are a waste of time. Instead, he wants Iqbal to help him tend to the crops and become a farmer like him, which would be a stable profession.
Iqbal’s sister, Khadija (Shweta Prasad), however, helps him try out for a nearby academy run by Guruji (Girish Karnad), an influential former India captain, who accepts him for his talent. However, when Iqbal competes with a rich boy, Kamal, who is also the star of the academy, he is thrown out by Guruji out of fear of Kamal’s father, who bankrolls the academy. Iqbal seeks help from the local drunkard, Mohit (Naseeruddin Shah), who was once a great cricketer and persuades him to be his coach. They are able to train in a nearby field, using Iqbal’s buffaloes (named after actual members of the Indian cricket team) as fielders.
Mohit trains Iqbal and gets him a place on the Andhra Pradesh Ranji Trophy team, despite Iqbal not having any previous cricketing experience. Iqbal plays marvelously for the team, which was a weak team before he joined, and is soon noticed by the press and cricket selectors alike. However, when the final match of the season pits Iqbal against his rival, Kamal, Guruji tries to bribe Iqbal to bowl badly so that the national team scouts at the game would select Kamal for the national cricket team.
