Poll: What are your expectations from CHAK DE INDIA?

• Shimit Amin is one of the finest filmmaking talents ever to emerge in Bollywood. He struck everyone with awe with his first directorial venture, AB TAK CHHAPPAN. His razor-sharp execution compelled us to enter the world of encounter cops. He made us uncomfortable by creating realistic situations. Then, certainly, expectations from his next are very high.
• Shah Rukh Khan, I believe, is one of the finest actors in Indian cinema. No I don't belong to his "fan club" nor do I believe in the "fan club" system. I simply praise his acting skills. People, I mean, his hater critics decry him by saying that he doesn't work without a Johar/ Chopra backing. They still say it even after MAYA MEMSAAB, KABHI HAAN KABHI NAA, CHAMATKAR, DDLJ, SWADES, PAHELI - which easily rank amongst the best performances ever in any Hindi cinema. Why did everyone hated his "character" in KANK? Only because he made it look real. It's a pity that he is "still" underestimated as an actor. "Oh-SRK-is-so-commercial!" is the reaction he gets. He is a natural performer. He is still underutilised. Don't you agree?
• Yash Raj, though is a full-blood mainstream Bollywood studio, had decided to swim against the tide in the film, KABUL EXPRESS after producing a total crap like DHOOM:2. Normally the expectation are there that YRF would make another path-breaking film.

So what happens when we put all them together? In mathematical language,
(LHS.) Shimit Amin + Shahrukh + Yashraj = Chak De India (R.H.S.)

The movie revolves around the story a hockey coach for a girl's team and a young Sikh girl who wants to join the hockey team but does not get the approval of her parents. You may already know that SRK is the coach here. The storyline sounds very similar with BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM (which is again a good film). But I hope (and trust them) that a director like Shimit won't come up with a remake of a hit "Indian" film. So it "has to be" different!

Now come to SRK's looks. He has been given a beard and is made look old. But, he looks very attractive. If poster is anything to go by, I think he will put forth a strong performance. Look at his eyes! They convey so much! I think I won't be disappointed.

There were alleged cold vibes and wars between YRF and SRK even a year ago. But the truth has spoken himself. The shooting began from August, 2006, after they both "parted their ways". Now the same media reports that Aditya Chopra's next will star SRK.

But will the film be a "COMMERCIAL HIT*? Probably NO. This kind of films don't work in Bollywood. Just look at Kabul Express! Just as because there were no "dancing-round-the-trees" and bad script it flopped. But just look at craps like DHOOM:2, VIVAH! The latter is still in theaters.

Even SRK, a crowd-puller has said,

I don't think CDI will be a grand commercial success. I can tell before a film's release if it will work at B.O. The same happened for Swades. I told Ashutosh(Gowariker) that the script was great but it wouldn't be a hit. But he didn't think so. Now you have the results.

But I "WILL DEFINITELY" watch this movie. I hits theaters on AUGUST 10.

Now tell me,

• ARE YOU LOOKIN' FORWARD TO THE MOVIE THE WAY I AM?
• WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS?
• DO YOU THINK IT WILL BE A BLOCKBUSTER?
• WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MY ARTICLE?

Feel free to comment!

Additional Scoop: From the 1st week of July, I'll start a regular segment on CDI, where I'll post exclusive videos and behind-the-scenes of CDI. Just wait till June 15/17 when you'll get the first theatrical of CDI online on BUwH.