While the Indian women’s hockey team had already created history by entering the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 for the first time, they failed to make history after losing to Great Britain in a hard-fought bronze play-off match on Friday. Nonetheless, every Indian is proud of their efforts and can’t stop praising them for reaching the semifinals. Leading the brigade is Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan who took to social media to express how proud he is of the women’s hockey team who inspired millions of others.
Shah Rukh Khan tweeted, “Heartbreak!!! But all reasons to hold our heads high. Well played Indian Women’s Hockey Team. You all inspired everyone in India. That itself is a victory.”
Shah Rukh, of course, famously played coach Kabir Khan in the hit 2007 sports drama Chak De! India, in which the character led an underdog women’s hockey team to success. Previously, after the squad entered the semi-finals, Shah Rukh had tweeted, reposting coach Sjoerd Marijne’s comment about being further delayed because of the team’s progress, “Haan haan no problem. Just bring some Gold on your way back….for a billion family members. This time Dhanteras is also on 2nd Nov. From: Ex-coach Kabir Khan,” referring to his role in the Bollywood film Chak De! India.”
After the Indian men’s hockey team’s bronze medal win earlier this week, the actor wrote, “Wow!! Indian Men’s Hockey Team Congratulations. Resilience and skill at its peak. What an exciting match.”
Chak De! India, directed by Shimit Amin, became a critical and commercial success. It was a rare diversion from the usual romantic roles that Shah Rukh was known for playing on screen. The title track, composed by Salim-Sulaiman and performed by Sukhwinder Singh, became an unofficial anthem for Indian sports.
Shah Rukh was last seen on screen in 2018’s Zero, directed by Anand L Rai. He will make his acting comeback with the as-yet-unannounced Pathan, and has a bunch of rumoured films in the pipeline.
