In the company of Kings

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Documentary filmmaker Rahul Datta is all set to release the first-of-its-kind documentary on an IPL team — a behind-the-scenes look at Kings XI Punjab.
On the last day of IPL season 5, “Captain Charismatic” Adam Gilchrist is seen playing a mentoring role to young players of Kings XI Punjab and he finally announces that he would not play cricket again after his team lost to Delhi Daredevils. This is the opening shot of the upcoming documentary Living With Kings. The film then rolls on to show interesting glimpses of the cricketers off the field — like players sitting together in a hotel room and giggling at other players while watching a cricket match.
“I was brought on board by the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) management as their content manager, official videographer and photographer. I started shooting short videos, candid and behind-the-scenes moments, after-parties, net practice and victory songs for the team. The one-minute videos of the players were amplified with bhangra tracks and international rap music and a 30-second KXIP commercial also followed. This extensive video footage was further made into a full-fledged documentary,” shares Datta.
Britain-based independent producer Simon Rogers is the man behind the project. All set to release this month, the 90-minute film is a look into the life and times of the team. “The documentary is an ode to the team and its spirit, with pep talks by Preity Zinta, chats with Ness Wadia, Adam Gilchrist’s takes, and dances of the cheerleaders,” says Datta, who was roped in as director at the last moment.
Bowled over by pretty Preity, the filmmaker says, “Preity Zinta is very confident when it comes to facing the camera. She can be seen sprinting around, cheering the team and boosting their confidence levels all the time. In one of the most striking shots of our documentary, Zinta is seen encouraging the team and emphasising on the importance of the body-language of the players both on and off the field. She just lights up the mood with her effervescent smile.”
Incidentally, it was while making this film that Datta started liking cricket. “Cricket is more of a game of nerves rather than a physically enduring sport,” he says.
The best part about KXIP, he says, is its fan following. “It is not exactly the consistently winning team. The team has had its share of ups and downs. The fans of KXIP are its biggest strength,” says Datta, who would like to explore Formula 1 racing in India and basketball as the subjects of his next documentaries.
The young filmmaker is spellbound by the bylanes of old Delhi and would like to capture the jostling crowds at Chor Bazaar as a theme for a short film. Datta, however, finds it ironical that although we are celebrating 100 years of Bollywood cinema, but still lack a proper documentary channel in India.
“Every second person in India has an exciting story to tell, which could make for an interesting backdrop of a documentary, but unfortunately there are not many takers for this alternate medium. But it is high time we start running a documentary channel of ours, where we can feature some enlightening short features,” says Datta.