Zinia Sen (BOMBAY TIMES; January 9, 2014)

Shoojit Sircar’s next film with John Abraham is based on Mohun Bagan’s victory against East Yorkshire Regiment on July 29, 1911, when the country was under British rule. By being the first native team to have won the IFA Shield, Mohun Bagan dribbled straight into the pages of history. It’s also a known fact that the Mohun Bagan players, in folded dhotis, played barefoot against the British team wearing boots and shorts.

Says Shoojit, “Though John did not quite unveil his wedding plans, I knew something like this was about to happen. So, I gifted him the script in advance. And yes, he loved it. Mohun Bagan’s win is an amazing story; for me, it’s the real Lagaan.”

With John, there’s a lot more than cinema, adds the director: “Both of us love football. In fact, when not shooting, we engage ourselves in the game.” The movie is currently in pre-production stage and Shoojit admits that a lot of homework needs to be done to get the depiction of the era right.