In an unlikely confluence of cinema and sport, Chaitanya Sharma, widely known as Slow Cheeta in the music and acting spheres, has captured the spirit of a football icon in the celluloid chronicle ‘Maidaan’. Emulating the legendary PK Banerjee, Chaitanya remembers the awe-inspiring visit of the football stalwart to the set, a moment that cemented the actor’s commitment to the role.
The movie ‘Maidaan’ delves into the pulsating heart of Indian football’s golden age, a decade spanning 1952 to 1962. Leading the big screen are the powerhouse performers, with Ajay Devgn at the helm as coach-manager Syed Abdul Rahim, who steered the team to historic heights. It was during this culturally rich epoch that the tale of PK Banerjee’s exploits on the field became the stuff of legend.
Chaitanya, an up-and-coming talent, recounts how serendipity played its part in casting him for the film. Juxtaposing his roles from earlier projects, he describes his journey as oscillating from a big fish in a small pond to a small fish in vast oceans. His turning point arose from an unanticipated scouting at a local football league called Roots. As fate would have it, a hat-trick scored by him caught the eye of the ‘Maidaan’s’ first assistant director Atul Shahi.
What ensued was a relentless audition process spanning three months, culminating in Chaitanya absorbing a Bengali monologue and embracing intensive football training. It was in March 2019 that realization dawned upon him – he was on the verge of embodying a historical figure in Indian football.
Chaitanya shares his fascination and disbelief at stepping into the boots of PK Banerjee, reflecting on the gravity of portraying the individual heralded as the Indian footballer of the century. The journey to representation was laden with emotional and physical trials, yet it was the intersection of Banerjee’s personal acknowledgment that served as the most profound moment for the actor.
One crystallized memory from the shooting days features PK Banerjee, despite being paralyzed, gracing the set in Kolkata to witness his portrayal. The former footballer’s visit was marked with a poignant act of gifting a personally inscribed book to Ajay Devgn, laboriously signed with his full name despite physical challenges. For Chaitanya, the significance of this gesture could not have been more profound. Through teary eyes, he watched as this sporting great exemplified undying spirit – a testament to the hallowed legacy he now had the privilege to portray.
The emotional resonance of participating in ‘Maidaan’ runs deep for Chaitanya, more so than his appearance in the celebrated film ‘Gully Boy’. ‘Maidaan’, for him, is not just an acting debut but a visceral, emotional journey – a testament to a remarkable era and the men who created it, yet remained overshadowed by the sands of time.
In honoring these unsung heroes, ‘Maidaan’ goes beyond a mere retelling of events; it is a poignant tribute etched with the sweat and fervor of those who laid the groundwork for what Indian football could aspire to become. Each reel of the movie is a reminder of the struggles and triumphs that shaped an era, now forever immortalized on screen.
For Chaitanya, each day impersonating Banerjee was an exercise in humility and reverence. As he stepped onto the historical pitch, it was not just a game of football he played but a rekindling of an age when the game transcended boundaries. The opportunity to bring PK Banerjee’s story to life is not merely a career highlight but an honor that transcends the personal and approaches the patriotic. As a nation watches, he cherishes each stride, each kick of the ball, as an offering to the past, and a legacy for the future.
