The formula for films with sports backdrop is usually the same; the underdogs making it to limelight. It depends a lot on how one goes about such a film and makes it acceptable since not many sport movies do well.
Speedy Singhs counts on three factors: a bunch of Sikh Canadians in Toronto wanting to excel at ice hockey without compromising their religious beliefs, a cross culture romance and comedy.
A bunch of Sikhs settled in Canada are by hobby ice hockey players with aspirations to play the local Honda Cup, but are not confident or qualified enough. Their daily hockey routine is observed by Russel Peters who takes note of at least one of these boys, a turban-less Sikh, Vinay Virmani, who has the spark to match any professional player.
Peters takes it upon himself to coach this bunch and make a competent hockey team out of it. Even as the boys improve on their hockey, they learn some truths of the game the hard way. One being the violence in the game and the other, the usual discrimination inflicted on these boys for being 'different'.
The film depicts the life of Sikhs in Canada, mostly keeping to themselves and adhering to every ritual as if in Punjab, creating their own little world there. As such, Anupam Kher, a traditional Sikh father, and his son Vinay Virmani are always at loggerheads.
Already upset that his son has done away with his hair and turban, he wants him to be active in his younger brother's, Gurpreet Ghuggi, trucking business instead of wasting his time on hockey. The other track is of romance between Vinay Virmani and Camilla Belle, the coach's sister.
The story being almost on the same lines as the recent Akshay Kumar film Patiala House (Akshay Kumar is one of the backers of this film and also makes a cameo), where Speedy Singhs stands apart is in its sincere depiction. It is a light, frothy entertainer. The director Robert Lieberman doesn't go overboard, neither in the romance part nor in the depiction of Sikh community. The film has a natural feel about it.
Vinay Virmani is a natural talent, just cut out for the role he plays. Camilla Belle is a perfect foil. Anupam Kher being the known face, others who excel are Russel Peters, Sakina Jaffrey, Gurpreet Singh, Rob Lowe and Noureen Dewulf.
Music is generally Punjabi flavour. Dialogue is witty.
After a lot of discussions, debates, protests and struggle about the projection of Sikhs and sikh identity in the film-industry, we have a project that has perfectly depicted the present scenario of sikh youth and their attitude towards their religion and culture. Though, it hasn’t been able to demarcate a very delicate difference between religion (sikhism) and ethnicity (punjabiyat). But, on a positive note, it can be considered as a big leap towards the right projection of turbaned Sikhs in the film industry.
The actual message of the film is that “boys will be boys” whether they’re turbaned, bearded or clean-shaven and if their youth finds the right channel, it can do wonders not only for themselves but for the entire community. Not only this, the film has successfully touched the sensitive corners of the hearts of people who’ve dedicated themselves to the sikh way of life. The phrase like: “Brothers from different mothers” was indeed very-very touching when their coach asks the boys whether they’re brothers after knowing their common surname “Singhs”.
Another trans-religion aspect has been touched in a very sensitive way which was technically right and made perfect sense and that was “Racial Discrimination”, when the younger brother of the protagonist locks himself in his room and wants to chop-off his hair after being assaulted from a few schoolmates, and the protagonist advises him not to get his hair cut as that would not finish the problem of discrimination and expresses his own guilt for giving up his hair.
At the individual level, the film would encourage youngsters to be disciplined mavericks as the protagonist chooses to stick to his call i.e. playing Ice-hockey, despite continuous resistance from his father. Traditionally, in our Indian or Punjabi culture, rebellious kids are considered to be a burden but the film gives a ray of hope to the parents to keep expectations from such kids.
The film is very realistic in its presentation as the “Speedy Singhs” team did manage to win the semi-finals without the contribution of the protagonist, unlike, typical Bollywood projects where the lead actor is next to almighty. Only the last match where the Speedy Singhs use warrior-helmets instead of their sports gear to cover their heads, does depict that the author has gone an extra-mile with creativity.
But overall, it is a great entertainment which has been very well sensitized across different cultures and Akshay Kumar deserves full credit for producing such a promising project.
Alas, Speedy Singhs will not last long enough for word of mouth to help it; lack of promotion and face value sink its prospects. The makers' hopes rest in the international version, Breakaway, that is due for release on 30 September.
