Chak De! India, that released in 2007, was a major hit! The Shah Rukh Khan-starrer, that was based on the Indian women's hockey team, broke several records at the box office. On Day 3 of Sahitya AajTak 2022 held in Delhi on November 20, screenwriter Jaideep Sahni took the stage for a session titled Sakht Jan Thakne na De. He was invited as a special speaker where he recalled the time he broke down before making Chak De! India. This happened when he saw the condition of the women's hockey team of India.  

JAIDEEP SAHNI ON WOMEN'S HOCKEY TEAM OF INDIA 

During the session, Jaideep Sahni said, "There are some films that are easy to write but difficult to make. Truth be told, I didn't even know that there was an Indian women hockey team. I had just read a newspaper article. I felt so bad seeing the placement of that article, it was a small write-up placed on the last page. I thought, if India loses in cricket, then also it makes the front page. These girls had won for our country, and they got a small write-up. I thought it was wrong. I started researching on it, went to stadiums and talked to people. I had to learn because I didn't know anyone. Those time, these kinds of films were not accepted." 

Jaideep added, "There is a line in the film, 'na sponsor hai, na darshak hai.' That was the truth. I used to see the hockey team literally begging for sponsorship or kits or even laptops. I had worked in advertising, so I thought I would get them sponsors. I did not leave any brand behind. I started from health drinks to makeup brands even though the latter is not for athletes, but I had to. Nothing happened though. These brands wanted product placement in my films instead." 

He further said, "The condition of women's hockey team used to be so bad that time. It is quite better now. People used to steal bulbs from their toilets, and it used to be so messy. I also saw that two girls were holding a jersey and another girl was changing behind that. This was the national team. I started crying. I promised to make a film on them at that moment, it was my dream." 

HOW CHAK DE! INDIA WAS FORMED 

"So, this film was made on a promise. It took another 2-3 years to work on Chak De! India. It took some time to get it released because the exhibitors and distributors would say that this isn't a film. They had a set notion in mind on how films should be like. Another thing people said was, 'I understand the concept but others won't.' It was such a simple film. People used to ask me why I was making a star like Shah Rukh Khan do this kind of role. They asked me who was the heroine and I replied that everyone is. They are national players, that is the definition of a heroine. Finally, Chak De! India released and it is talked about even today. When it finally released in 2007, the cinemas were all housefull," the screenwriter said. 

Jaideep added, "The combination of Kabir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan was artistic. The film was Shah Rukh Khan's lowest opening but in 24 hours, it did wonders."