Ahead of Aamir Khan's Sitaare Zameen Par release, must-watch influential sports drama movies on OTT
Underdog stories about overcoming immense odds and eventually emerging triumphant, tend to resonate with audiences almost always. Hindi superstar Aamir Khan's next, Sitaare Zameen Par, is one such, a film about a bunch of neurodivergent youngsters that he has to train for a basketball tournament. A remake of the Spanish film Campeones, Sitaare Zameen Par will be in theatres on June 20, 2025.
Ahead of the film's release, here are some amazing sports dramas, across languages, that tell stories of triumph, struggle, and the human spirit pushing its limits, all of which are available to stream on OTTplay Premium.
Catch more inspiring tales on sports and knowledgeable documentaries on OTTplay Premium
Iqbal
This enduring Hindi drama tells the story of Iqbal (Shreyas Talpade), a young man, with hearing and speech impairment, whose dream is to play for the Indian national cricket team. However, his condition makes it a significant challenge when he gets overlooked for selection. Determined to pursue his passion, Iqbal seeks out a retired coach to train him and overcome his physical obstacles.
Ghoomer
This Hindi movie made its World Premiere at the 12th Indian Film Festival in Melbourne in 2023. The story follows young cricket sensation Anina's (Saiyami Kher) promising career getting shattered when she loses her right hand just before her international debut. Soon, her life takes a new turn when a former cricketer (Abhishek Bachchan) decides to help her out. Together, they work on innovative training methods that can help Anina adapt to her new circumstances,
Gran Turismo
A working-class gamer, a former race driver, and a passionate motorsport executive, played by Archie Madekwe, David Harbour and Orlando Bloom, respectively, join hands to challenge the elite world of racing sports. Against all odds, the team put everything on the line to prove themselves, defying expectations. The biographical drama is based on the life story of Jann Mardenborough, a teenage Gran Turismo player.
Mukkabaaz
Written and directed by Anurag Kashyap, based on a story by Anudeep Singh, Mukkabaaz revolves around Shravan Singh (Vineet Kumar Singh), who's boxing dreams are shattered when he clashes with Bhagwan Das Mishra (Jimmy Sheirgill), the powerful head of the boxing federation. Things get even more complicated when Shravan falls in love with Bhagwan's niece, Sunaina.
Jhund
Amitabh Bachchan plays Vijay Barse, a retired sports teacher in this Hindi drama, who decides to make a difference in his community by forming a football team with a group of kids from a slum. His goal is to keep them away from the dangers of drugs and crime, and channel their energy into sports. He trains and mentors the team to participate in a prestigious national tournament.
Big George Foreman
This biographical drama delves into the life of boxing legend, George Foreman, and his rags-to-riches story. Khris Davis played Foreman, in the film, which follows his Olympic gold medal win as well as his stint as World Heavyweight champion. The movie also focuses on his post-retirement spiritual sojourn and subsequent financial struggles, which saw him make a comeback to the sport.
Saala Khadoos
Written and directed by Sudha Kongara, this Tamil/Hindi bilingual starred R Madhavan as Adi Tomar, a former boxer, who retired from the sport owing to personal issues, and then sets his sights on a new challenge by training a young girl from the local fishmonger community with a natural talent for boxing, played by Ritika Singh. Together, they work towards achieving Adi's dream, proving that with determination and skill, success can still be within reach, while also overcoming gender discrimination.
The Iron Claw
Zach Efron and Jeremy Allen White lead this English biographical drama about the lives of the famous Von Erich brothers, who made their mark in the merciless world of the 1980s professional wrestling era, while striving for legendary status despite facing heartbreaking tragedies. The film also stars Harris Dickinson, Maura Tierney, Holt McCallany and Lily James, among others.
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