Iqbal
A deaf and mute village cricket prodigy fights family resistance, elite favoritism, and social exclusion for a chance to represent India.
Overview
A deaf boy's passion for cricket defies the odds in a nation obsessed with the sport.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- inspirational
- warm
- determined
- sports movie night
- motivational viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Nagesh Kukunoor's inspirational sports drama for its candid ingenuity and the standout performances of Shreyas Talpade and Naseeruddin Shah.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Iqbal is deaf and unable to speak, yet pursues elite cricket while facing rejection from Guruji and resistance from his family.
The alcoholic farmhand Mohit becomes Iqbal's reluctant cricket tutor after Guruji dismisses him.
Anwar considers cricket a waste of time and demands that Iqbal return to farm work instead of pursuing the sport.
The story places Iqbal's personal ambition within India's widespread cultural obsession with cricket.
Films like Iqbal, and why
Lagaan
inspirational sports drama centered on an underdog athlete overcoming social and physical barriers
Chak De! India
warm, motivational sports drama about mentorship, discipline, and a determined outsider
Mary Kom
emotionally direct coming-of-age sports drama driven by perseverance and family conflict
The Miracle Season
uplifting underdog sports story focused on an unconventional protagonist and demanding training
Movie Details
- Director
- Nagesh Kukunoor
- Release Date
- 2005-08-26
- Runtime
- 150 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (83)
Cast
- Shreyas Talpade
- Naseeruddin Shah
- Girish Karnad
- Shweta Basu Prasad
- Prateeksha Lonkar
- Yatin Karyekar
- Dilip Salgaonkar
- Jyoti Joshi
- Aadarsh Balakrishna
- Gururaj Manepalli
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video
- Buy
- Amazon Video
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Iqbal about?
- A deaf and mute village cricket prodigy fights family resistance, elite favoritism, and social exclusion for a chance to represent India.
- What is Iqbal like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Iqbal as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Iqbal violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Iqbal.
- What did critics think of Iqbal?
- Critics broadly praised Nagesh Kukunoor's inspirational sports drama for its candid ingenuity and the standout performances of Shreyas Talpade and Naseeruddin Shah.
- Which films are like Iqbal?
- Films with a similar feel include Lagaan, Chak De! India, Mary Kom, and The Miracle Season.
- How long is Iqbal?
- Iqbal runs 150 minutes.
- Where can I watch Iqbal?
- In United States, Iqbal is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video.
