Shuvrajit Das Biswas
10. Chak De! India (2007)
If there’s any country in the world that is passionate as hell about its sports it would have to be India. Sports make for great underdog stories and here is one that has a double marginalization – an Indian women’s hockey team. Their victory becomes not just about the nation, but about womanhood as well. The coach Kabir Khan, a disgraced ex-captain suspected of having thrown a game, is tasked with coaching this team. He has to bring together different team members and help them overcome any prejudices they might have against each other. He does this and much more and India eventually goes on to defeat the tournament favorites Australia making this a fine underdog story about a sport that deserves much more attention in India and the world.
9. Cinderella Man (2005)
A sport that has seen some of the greatest underdog stories, here is one based on the life of Braddock, the man who would in boxing history go down as the Cinderella Man. Played by Russell Crowe in this Ron Howard film, Braddock injures his right hand in a boxing match and retires to work as a longshoreman to support his family during the depression. However, by fate, his manager contacts him when there is a backing out and Braddock has to go up against the world’s number two. It is a match where Braddock should not have won but he knocks his opponent out in the third round – since his left hand had become more efficient. Dubbed the titular Cinderella Man due to his rags to riches story, Braddock becomes a symbol of hope during the great depression. The perfect underdog moment occurs when he goes up against Baer the title holder and the odds against him are ten to one. However, Braddock, as we know, emerges victorious from the fight making this a fine tale to view and relive.
8. Moneyball (2011)
Moneyball, as it is famously said, is not a movie about sports, it is a movie about maths. However, what can be the most crippling thing that a sports team has to go through to be called an underdog. You guessed it, low funds. The Oakland Athletics team was no different, low on funds and unable to make any big signings. Enter Billy Beane played by Brad Pitt. The underdogs go on to win an unprecedented eleven games in a row thanks to Beane’s sabermetric model and buying low-value players with specific skills. It is a technical movie, true and slow at times, but if underdog tales are your thing then Moneyball fits the bill!
7. Iqbal (2005)
India is a country that loves its sports and there is no sport we love more than cricket. Sports are also a great opportunity for rags to riches stories and here is a story of a deaf and mute boy, Iqbal who hails from very humble origins – the son of a farmer, whose talent is a fiery bowling ability. He struggles against financial burdens, a disapproving family and a coach who would rather have the son of a wealthy man get through than a poor boy simply because the former’s father bankrolls his coaching academy. However, the underdog against all chances trains under severe conditions – in a makeshift field with a drunkard as a coach and buffaloes as presumed fielders. His hard work pays off as he gets to the Ranji trophy and eventually to the Indian national team thus fulfilling his goal. If you love cricket and underdog stories, this is one of the best films you can watch.
6. Miracle (2004)
One of the finest sports upsets in the history of sports, this victory was called miracle on ice as the underdog American team went on to beat the heavily favored Russian team in the 1980 Winter Olympics. Kurt Russel plays the coach and he fights all odds to bring the team together, infuse unorthodox practices and make them focus on winning for America. Set against the backdrop of the cold war, this makes the sports face off all the tenser. The moment when the American team beats the Russians with a 4-3 score remains etched in our memories as the coach looks proudly onto the field as the players come together in a stupendous moment. An excellent example of an underdog movie, this movie demands to be watched every time.
Read More: Hockey Movies
