Chak De India Actually Revolutionized Hockey As A Sport In The Country. Find Out How!

Major stars refused the lead role, audiences booed the trailer when it was shown in the theatre, the grueling shooting schedule almost seemed impossible and developing 12 cast members into a hockey team turned out to be a herculean task. But despite all the hardships, in 2007, Shimit Amin gave us a film, that till date is one of Bollywood best and most empowering sports film ever. Yes, we are talking about Chak De India, the film that made a whole generation cultivate their interest in a sport that was not cricket or football.

But apart from setting and breaking box-office records and giving Shah Rukh Khan one of his most memorable roles, the success of Chak De India also impacted the future of hockey as a sport in the country. 

The film talked about how hockey as a sport is failing to get its due because of inadequate infrastructure and apathy of the authorities. After the film, in 2008 the Hockey Federation of India was asked to revamp the sorry state of the sport in the country

Former hockey player Aslam Sher Khan was appointed by the Indian Olympic Association to head a committee which replaced the Indian Hockey Federation. In one of his interviews, he said,  "We have to make a Team India as you have seen in Bollywood blockbuster Chak De! India. There are players from several parts of the country. We have to unite them to make a powerful force."

We do not know how many movies can actually claim to have such an impact.

Former hockey player Aslam Sher Khan was appointed by the Indian Olympic Association to head a committee which replaced the Indian Hockey Federation.