1983

Abrid Shine's 2014 Malayalam film takes its title from the year India won the World Cup and traces what that victory left in a generation. Rameshan, who wants to play cricket, cannot realise his dream; years later, seeing the same ability in his son, he unloads his expectation onto him. The film is honest in showing this not as a father's sacrifice but as a burden: the child is made to carry his father's unfinished life. Village life in Kerala, neighbourhood matches and the passing of time are built in detail. Nivin Pauly's performance is plain. The story moves slowly, and some sections may stay closed to a viewer without knowledge of cricket. Who it's for: viewers who like Malayalam cinema and family stories told through sport. Who it's not for: anyone wanting pace, or looking for a story of triumph from a sports film.