This one’s going to be a long one, so kindly bear with me. June 14, 2020, was a day that will probably never be forgotten by many of us. We not only lost one of the brightest stars of Bollywood, but also an amazing human being, a physicist, an astronomer, a stargazer, a philanthropist, a dreamer, a writer, an achiever and a human being who was probably too good for this world.
The loss is irreparable, and believe me, at times it is hard to accept the fact that he isn’t here anymore. On that afternoon, I was randomly sitting and I got a text from an office colleague, telling me “Aahna, Dhoni nahi raha”, and I was stunned beyond my understanding because my love for MS Dhoni is something I’ll talk about later.
I couldn’t believe it and I sent him back to back texts asking him if he was sure, he then mentioned “Sushant Singh, Dhoni wala actor”, and I immediately opened the news channel to see if what he is saying is true. What I felt during the next few days has been a feeling that many other people shared. It was hard to accept it, I even went to the extent of Googling some stuff about the afterlife to just understand if he was alright.
A few days later, I mustered up the courage to watch MS Dhoni. The first time when I saw MS Dhoni was on the first day of its release, and it made me happy beyond words. However, this time, it was an elevated version of what I had felt on the first day. I have always been able to relate to MS Dhoni because of our mutual hometowns. MS Dhoni was just a treat to my eyes as the Ranchi essence was so beautifully captured.
I re-realized how class apart was he, I mean, it is not easy to play the part of a legendary sportsperson like Dhoni himself, who has a fan following that very few people have. But anyone who has seen MS Dhoni may have immediately developed that love and respect for Sushant Singh Rajput.
The time when he goes to his coach, asking for an opening, and smashes the ball with all his might one by one is something that only Dhoni could have done, but no, Sushant repeated it with so much confidence and hard work.
When he misses the flight from Kolkata for his match, Sushant immediately goes on to the other side, his expression was classic MS Dhoni, so well executed that a few tears from your eyes were natural. He made you feel bad about his situation.
When Yuvraj Singh scored exceptionally against Bihar in a match, and Dhoni comes back locking himself up at a friend’s house will worry you for a while but the way he comes out and demands for a glass of water will immediately bring a smile to your face.
When he takes up the job of a ticket collector and has been running around at the Kharagpur Railway Station, you will immediately place yourself there and want to share his job, you know, just ease some of his pressure off his mind. You want to sit with him at the station bench, where he sits with his hands folded, not saying anything, but just be there with him in silence.
The airplane scene where Dhoni meets his first love Priyanka, the way he smiles at her and does not immediately show his star card is typical MS Dhoni. Reminded me of an airport rundown with Dhoni where my mom had tried to shout and stop him, and all he did was turn and smile back at her. Only Sushant could remind me of that particular memory.
His meetup with Sakshi and how he decided not to tell her who he is, was also something only Dhoni would do. The way Sushant played that particular part was effortless at another level.
However, my most favourite memory of the movie remains when Sushant gets ready, adjusts his collar while walking (even MS Dhoni could not repeat that walk of 2011 with that much finesse), he wears his cap, picks up his bat and a chill immediately runs down your spine, and you feel exactly the way you would have on the final day. And that walk with his back shown to the audience, it is impossible to tell whether it is Dhoni or Sushant.
When he walks down the field, that chill in the spine remains and you feel more emotional than ever, you want Dhoni to win, you want Sushant to make that statement on the field. That winning six from his bat will bring tears to your eyes, happy tears, and this time sad ones as well, because you will never be able to see that marvel on the screen again.
By the end of the movie, it is hard to hold back those tears because of the way the part has been played. I had never thought I would like anyone more than Dhoni himself, but Sushant proved me wrong, he made me fall in love with him the third time (the first time was during his stint as Preet Juneja, and the second as Manav), and this time the love was here to stay.
At times I forgot that Sushant Singh Rajput was not MS Dhoni for real, but in fact, was just playing the part. He deserves a standing ovation for playing this part so beautifully with utmost perfection, every time the movie plays on someone’s screen.
Legends like Sushant Singh Rajput are born once in a lifetime, and we lost him way too soon. However, he will live through his short but vivid Bollywood lifetime, his words, his telescope, his humanity.
Every time one talks of a perfectly made biopic, MS Dhoni – The Untold Story will top the list, not because of the legend Dhoni is but because of the human Sushant portrayed him to be.
