In an era before the advent of high-tech cricket gear and the constriction of playing spaces due to urban sprawl, a young generation found camaraderie and competition in the gritty cricket grounds of the late ‘90s and early 2000s. It was a time when Sachin Tendulkar’s magic on the TV screen captured imaginations, propelling legions of youngsters to master the game in its most unorthodox form—with cork balls and a single pad. That very essence of cricket, which has since evolved out of recognition, is now being revived on the silver screen with S Jayakumar’s latest film, “Blue Star,” hitting theaters this Friday.
The acclaimed Pa Ranjith’s Neelam Productions is backing this sports-centric drama which boasts a talented ensemble including Ashok Selvan, Shanthnu, Keerthi Pandian, Prithvi Rajan, and Dhivya Duraisamy. The film, set in the town of Arakkonam in Chennai during the 1990s, revolves around a group of cricket enthusiasts and traverses the highs and lows of living the game.
Cast members Shanthnu and Prithvi found themselves reliving a golden era lost in their real lives. Embodying their roles with striking zeal, Shanthnu reminisces about the joy of playing with abandon. “The feeling of playing with just one leg padded, running around in slippers; it’s an experience from the shoot that I miss. It brought back the pure fun of the game back then,” he recounts.
“Blue Star” is not just a celebration of the sport but also a cutting commentary on the societal and political undertones that permeate both cricket and life at large. According to Shanthnu, the film delves into intrateam dynamics, external influences that erode the sanctity of the sport, and the often heartbreaking reality of talent not getting its due. The echoes of these narratives, the actor suggests, resonate far beyond the cricketing field and into societal fabrics.
Drawing a parallel between the pressures faced by actors and cricketers, Shanthnu marvels at the stoicism of cricketing legends like MS Dhoni, while Prithvi finds solace and inspiration in Ravichandran Ashwin’s pragmatic outlook on his profession’s uncertainties. But Shanthnu is quick to highlight one stark contrast: “A cricketer carries the weight of a nation’s expectations, a burden of a different magnitude to what we actors face.”
For Shanthnu, portraying the intense rivalry and nuanced personality of Rajesh, his character in “Blue Star,” was a compelling process. He praises the film’s writing and candidly admits his fondness for Prithvi’s character, Sam, as the latter stands out with his impulsiveness and relatable idiosyncrasies.
This nostalgic journey has demanded more than emotional investment from the actors; it required them to physically transform, shedding kilos to pass for younger versions of themselves. Mornings spent pushing the limits of endurance running from Nungambakkam to Guindy and diet overhauls were part of their preparation ritual. Prithvi even had to craft a distinctive fast-bowling action to embody Sam authentically.
Their shared history running back to childhood, with family ties between famed actor-director K Bhagyaraj, Shanthnu’s father, and celebrated filmmaker Pandiarajan, Prithvi’s father, ensured an on-screen chemistry as potent as their off-screen familiarity. The duo has hopes that “Blue Star” will further kindle the audience’s appreciation for the sport that brought them together once more.
Looking to the future, both actors have exciting projects lined up after “Blue Star.” Shanthnu hints at a web series alongside a prominent star, while Prithvi looks forward to a distinctive role in Mysskin’s film “Train.” As the eager anticipation of audiences meets with the shared goal of Shanthnu and Prithvi—to stand out and be dependable in their craft—“Blue Star” awaits its breath to ignite a time of nostalgia and new-found love for the rough-n-tumble days of street cricket.
