Breakpoint
RATING
Introduction
As a 90s kid there were quite a few sports that I did follow back in the day, the primary one being cricket. But apart from that, tennis was another sport that I was an avid follower of. The major grand slams like The Australian Open or the US Open or Rolland Garros or the biggest of them all Wimbledon, I used to follow all of them. And one reason for me doing so or if I could call it, introducing me to the game was the Indian duo of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi whom we fondly recall as Hesh and Lee or the Indian Express. Their infectitious chest thumps really got the crowd going, a site that I still have memories of and gives me goosebumps instantly. So when the news of their feud broke, I was really devastated so much so that I stopped watching the game. This week when Zee5 brought me a seven part documentary of the life of Lee and Hesh, I was naturally excited. I was hoping that it would turn the clock for me as I patiently awaited getting soaked up in nostalgia besides getting a glimpse of what exactly went wrong in what was possibly the greatest Indian Sports Tragedy. And with that I have just finished Break Point on Zee5, is it worth your time, stay tuned.
Story & Screenplay
Directed by the dynamic duo of Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari and Nitesh Tiwari who are known to be avid sports lovers themselves, Break Point follows the story of Lee and Hesh portraying their backgrounds and early lives to become the first Indian Duo to be World Number 1 to their eventual feud and their decline. The documentary carefully traces their major grand slam events giving the viewers a sneak peek into the diverse personalities of the duo and their infectitious chest thumps that resulted in a bromance that was a goosebumps worthy moment for us fans. The screenplay here isn’t afraid of laying the facts on the table as they stand. So there is no sugar coating narrative that you would usually see in a few documentaries. And this is where the documentary scores. The narration is to the point with never a dull moment that successfully turns the clock in giving us fans of the duo, the much needed dose of nostalgia but with a painful heartbreak as well. The question of ‘what if’ is addressed too. The duo of Lee and Hesh which now has inspired future generations, leave behind a bittersweet legacy, something that we will continue to celebrate with a dash of pain. An excellent screenplay here!
Impact
The documentary definitely does leave a lasting impact especially with the way it ends. Like me, it was the duo who may have made millions of people standup and take notice and also inspire generations to come. Today’s generation may not know the attacking brand of tennis that they played which had the power to uplift the mood of the nation. So it does make you teary eyed to think that they had a difference of opinion that ballooned to such a level that it lead to a communication gap which in turn lead to their downfall amidst a million heartbreaks. But in my opinion they will be remembered as legends forever!
My Take
If you are following cricket currently then you would know the media pitting two legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma against one another. There are fan bases which are lobbying the players too, thereby running the other down. This documentary is a mirror of what could happen if you aren’t careful and keep pitting legends against each other. The best way for the country to prosper is if the legends are united such that there is more of bromance with infectious energy as compared to the ‘Breakup’. I guess lesson learnt!
Conclusion
Break Point is a telling tale of the Greatest Indian Sports Tragedy. Available on Zee5 and Highly Recommended!