The short Tamil film, Labbar Pandu has performed exceptionally well at the box office and audiences are flocking to theaters to watch this village-based drama. The story of Labbar Pandu revolving around cricket depicts relationships, rivalries, romance and village life, giving us an overall engaging film despite a simple story. Reportedly made on a budget of approx. The film has collected more than 5 crores It became one of the most profitable Tamil films of 2024, earning ₹25 crore at the box office. ,Also read: Cricketer Varun Chakraborty wants to direct Vijay someday: ‘I have written a story for him’,
However, this is not the first time that a film centered on cricket has received a deep response among Tamil audiences – three cricket-themed films hit the theaters this year alone. Notable films that had cricket as their theme include director Suseendheeran’s Jeeva (2014), Arunraja Kamaraj’s Kana (2018), S. Jayakumar’s Blue Star (2024) and Aishwarya Rajinikanth’s Laal Salaam (2024). So, why does cricket have a strong emotional connect with filmmakers and audiences?
Why does cricket work in Tamil cinema?
One of the most important aspects is that cricket is a cultural phenomenon in India and especially in Tamil Nadu where we see children playing street cricket in cities and villages. Most youngsters grow up playing cricket as a recreational sport and filmmakers who have experienced it strongly identify with the theme. Writer Tamizharsan Pachamuthu, who made his directorial debut with Lubbar Pandu (Rubber Ball), when asked in an interview why he chose cricket as the subject, said, “I was inspired by the characters I was playing with. Had grown up in his village. When it comes to cricket, we always look up to a role model in our neighbourhood. This story is about him and how ego makes its place in his life.
Let’s talk about 2007 when Venkat Prabhu made his directorial debut with the cricket-based drama film Chennai 600028. The GOAT director is an avid cricket fan and grew up playing street cricket on the beach and playground near his home in RA Puram (Pin Code 600028), Chennai. The idea for the film originated from his growing up years and resulted in a cult classic.
Venkat Prabhu’s brother, Premagi Amaran, who has acted in all his brother’s films including Chennai 600028, says, “My brother, like most people in India, is a huge cricket fan. If seen, there is definitely some flavor of cricket in each of his films – in fact, the climax of Vijay’s recently released film GOAT also revolves around cricket. He especially likes Dhoni and Chennai Super Kings but watches all formats of cricket. When Chennai 600028 came out, we knew the audience would connect with it and enjoy it because of the cricket factor, but did not expect it to be such a blockbuster.”
The Indian Premier League (2008) and the arrival of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) team under the leadership of captain MS Dhoni was another important factor that increased the Tamil audience’s love for cricket. Dhoni, popularly known as Thala (Chief), has become an iconic figure in the southern state and CSK’s success naturally fosters a deep sense of pride and loyalty among its fans. Supporting CSK gives fans a sense of regional pride and the team’s yellow jersey has become a symbol of unity and belonging for Tamil cricket fans.
Another aspect that makes cricket a good subject for a film is that it uses players and teams to depict themes of caste and/or religious discrimination, isolation, inequality, rivalry and even romance. Has the ability to do. Historically, due to better access to infrastructure, coaching and resources, upper caste individuals have dominated Indian cricket, especially at the higher levels. Dalits and other marginalized communities have often been under-represented, reflecting the inequalities prevalent in Indian society and Tamil cricket-based films often reflect this.
Cricket as a medium to explore caste discrimination
Tamil Nadu has a strong political and social history of anti-caste movements, led by figures such as Periyar and the Dravidian movement. Using cricket as a subject to explore caste discrimination deeply resonates with the state’s history of challenging caste hierarchies. And cricket is seen as the great equalizer, uniting people beyond caste, class and regional divisions. Director A Jayakumar’s Blue Star, produced by director Pa Ranjith, is a perfect example. The film, which was a superhit, explored the caste dynamics and oppression faced by Dalits in the society.
Like movies, cricket matches also have emotional ups and downs that fans and spectators experience and enjoy. And Kollywood filmmakers, who capture this perfectly with their well-crafted stories, are highly appreciated. Ultimately, cricket and cinema are the two biggest sources of entertainment in India and when the two are successfully combined into a highly engaging film, the result is a perfect six.
