What is the biggest challenge in making a sports biopic? It is portraying the onfield action. The first ever sports biopic in Malayalam—Captain: Story of an unsung hero—by debutant director Prajesh Sen does not really measure up in that regard. The actions that are tagged as “football” on screen really disappoints. The protagonist, portrayed by actor Jayasurya, fails to simulate the real V.P. Sathyan—former captain of the Indian football team—on the fields. But Jayasurya delivers a fine performance as a man battling crippling insecurities, physical injuries, depression and loneliness—the ghosts that haunted the off-field Sathyan. Anu Sithara delivered a gorgeous performance as Anitha Sathyan, Sathyan's wife, undoubtedly her career best.
V.P. Sathyan's football career and life from the late 80s, to his shocking suicide in 2006, forms the main plot of the film. There are two villains—Sathyan's injured leg and tortured mind. In the first half, we are treated to the fighter Sathyan, the centre-back and wall of Indian football team's defence, who desperately wants to deliver his everything for the team. He even pretends to ignore a major injury in his leg. In the 1992 Santhosh Trophy, Kerala team, under the captaincy of Sathyan, emerged triumphant. The support he received from then chief minister K. Karunakaran in his fight to bring the trophy back to the state after 19 long years has been referenced in the film.
Kerala national player U. Sharaf Ali, who played for West Bengal in 1992, is also a character in the film. I.M. Vijayan—Sathyan's teammate from Kerala Police all the way to the Indian national team—was a major omission. Actor Mammooty and Indian Super League football commentator Shaiju Damodaran make appearances in cameo roles.
Director Prajesh Sen has adopted a non-linear style of narration. Flashbacks drive the movie, and they are compiled well. But, the dialogues sometimes sounded too dramatic. There was an artificiality in the usage of 'Kannur slang', attempted by Jayasurya and Anu Sithara.
The second half of the movie concentrated on the emotional trauma that Sathyan underwent post-retirement. This is where Jayasurya shines. The suicidal tendencies and depression, borne out of exclusion even as a former Indian international, was well portrayed on screen by Jayasurya.
The songs composed by Gopi Sunder and Vishwajith went well with the mood of the film. Veteran musician P. Jayachandran delivered two beautiful melodies, Peythalinja nimisham and Paattu Petty. But the background score, especially in the sports sequences, were not up to the mark.
The cinematography by Roby Varghese Raj was average. The colour grading could not clearly establish the passage of time from late 80s to the 2000s. Overall, the movie could have done better as a sports biopic. But, we owe it a debt of gratitude for bringing out the story of an unsung hero in the Indian football saga.
Rating: 2.5/5
Director: Prajesh Sen
Cast: Jayasurya, Anu Sithara
