Bhubaneswar: The first poster of a docudrama on Major Dhyan Chand has been released by Signature 24 Productions to coincide with the hockey wizard’s birth anniversary on August 29, which is observed as National Sports Day in India.
The docudrama by Odisha’s Prateek Kumar Mishra and Joyeeta Roy, titled ‘Major Dhyan Chand: The Inspiring Legend’, is meant to carry forward a digital campaign demanding Bharat Ratna award for India’s greatest hockey player.
Prateek considers it to be an honour to be part of the docudrama.
“It isn’t a biopic on the life of Major Dhyan Chand… It’s going to be a documentation of the emotions and inspiration revolving around the Indian tricolor, hockey and the hockey wizard! A lot of questions need clarification, this docudrama is to demand an answer and inspire the youth to carry the legacy of the legend ahead,” Prateek explained.
Explaining the teaser poster, which shows Dhyan Chand practising barefoot with an Olympic stadium in the backdrop, Joyeeta Roy of Signature 24 Productions said: “Black and white colour combination has been used in the poster to signify the conflicting facts and truths that we want to bring out through this docudrama and question about the legend and our national game hockey to the audience!”
She added, “It’s highly saddening that a lot of facts about the legend aren’t known to the youth of today! I have even heard amazing and inspiring stories of the Legend practicing hockey on the railway tracks! Wanted to bring out the dedication he had for the game and the love for the country too through this teaser poster for the documentary!”
A key member of three gold medal-winning Indian Olympic teams in 1928, 1932 and 1936, Dhyan Chand scored 570 goals in 185 matches.
Pre-production part of the docudrama has already begun in Odisha, with filmmaker Neil Dasgupta being associated with the producer duo Prateek and Joyeeta.
The producers plan to launch this docudrama on December 3, 2021, on the 42nd death anniversary of Dhyan Chand.
