5 Bollywood movies on cricket that flopped

Cricket and movies are two of the biggest passions for Indians. While cricket is considered a religion in the country, there are very few who are not bitten by the Bollywood bug. It is not surprising that a number of famous cricketers like Virat Kohli, Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan are married to showbiz personalities.

Cricket and movies have a unique connection as a combination as well. The Bollywood film Lagaan, one of the biggest blockbusters of all-time in Hindi cinema, is a prime example of the gentleman’s sport being utilized as a means to enhance the quality of filmmaking.

In recent years, biopics on legends like MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar have also enthralled the audience. Soon, the inspiring story of one of India’s greatest women cricketers, Mithali Raj (film titled Shabaash Mithu), will also hit screens.

Considering the popularity of cricket and Bollywood in India, it is rather surprising that the majority of movies based on the country’s most-loved sport have failed to strike a chord with the audience. In this feature, we look at five Bollywood movies on cricket that flopped.

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#1 Jersey (2022)

A poster of Shahid Kapoor-starrer Jersey.

Shahid Kapoor-starrer Jersey is the most recent addition to the ever-growing list. Released in April this year, the movie centers around Arjun Talwar (Shahid), a talented but failed cricketer.

After quitting the game, he decided to return to cricket in his late thirties. He has a newfound desire to represent the Indian cricket team.

The movie is a remake of the 2019 Telugu film of the same name. Despite an earnest performance from Shahid and some positive reviews from critics, the film performed very poorly at the box office.

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#2 Dil Bole Hadippa! (2009)

Shahid Kapoor and Rani Mukerji in Dil Bole Hadippa!

Another Shahid-starrer based on cricket and another movie that failed to entertain the audience despite being produced by one of the biggest banners in Bollywood - Yash Raj Films.

The story of Dil Bole Hadippa! is about a young woman (Rani Mukerji), a diehard cricket fan, who pretends to be a man to join an all-male cricket team.

Despite a very good performance by Rani in the lead role, the movie sank at the box-office. While the film gave a commendable message that women should be encouraged to play cricket, this flick was rejected by critics and fans alike.

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#3 Azhar (2016)

A poster of the movie Azhar.

While Tendulkar’s biopic was an expected success and the film based on Dhoni also won a lot of admirers, the tale of former Indian captain Mohammed Azharuddin did not find too many takers. Emraan Hashmi appears in the titular role in the movie.

The actor did a good job of capturing Azhar’s legendary mannerisms. However, many critics felt the film was an attempt to clean the former’s skipper image, who was embroiled in the 2000 match-fixing scandal towards the fag end of his career.

Although the movie focuses primarily on Azhar’s battle to clear his name from the controversy, it drew criticism for its fictionalized interpretation of events.

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#4 Patiala House (2011)

A poster of Akshay Kumar’s Patiala House, which had special appearances by many cricketers.

Even a superstar like Akshay Kumar could not save the sports drama film Patiala House from failing miserably at the box-office. The story of the movie revolves around Gattu (Akshay), who loves to play cricket, but cannot since his father hates the sport.

However, he gets selected to play for an English team, after which he is forced to choose between his dreams and his father's wishes.

Akshay’s role in the film is said to be loosely based on former England cricketer Monty Panesar.

Despite featuring special appearances from a number of cricketers like Nasser Hussain, the late Andrew Symonds, Kieron Pollard, Herschelle Gibbs, Sanjay Manjrekar and Shaun Tait, the movie was rejected outright by the audience.

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#5 Awwal Number (1990)

A poster of Awwal Number, starring Aamir Khan and Dev Anand.

The movie, written, directed and produced by the late Dev Anand, who also acted in it, is perhaps the most criticized Bollywood film based on the gentleman’s game.

The story portrays the Indian cricket team hitting a losing streak due to their arrogant captain Ronny (Aditya Pancholi). He soon gets replaced by newcomer Sunny (Aamir Khan), which leads to a bitter rivalry.

The movie attempts to portray the pitfalls of fame when a person is unable to handle it and loses his way. However, the movie's storyline and lethargic pace failed to connect with the audience.

The film often gets trolled and is counted among Bollywood’s worst sports movies. However, in an interview after Dev Anand's death, Aamir paid tribute to the filmmaker and said:

"The only film I signed without reading the script was Awwal Number.”

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