Azhar

“Azhar” is based on certain well known and highly talked about incidents and facts of the former Indian international cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin, who ended up becoming the country’s most controversial sportsman yet. From setting world records that are yet to be broken, to getting embroiled in the first ever match fixing scandal the country witnessed, the film traces Azhar’s insurmountable highs and his tremendous lows. The film begins with Azhar as a young child from a middle class home in Hyderabad who dreams of becoming a cricketer, and captures his entry on sheer merit into the professional arena of Indian cricket as a teenager. His rise as the captain of Indian cricket team shows us the metamorphoses of the man who enjoys a flamboyant life style and has become accustomed to the adulation of fans and the media. Azhar’s eventual marriage with the Bollywood actress Sangeeta Bijlani changes his life forever. Even as Azhar is set to create a record of having played 100 test matches, the biggest twist in his career comes when he is accused of being involved in the match fixing scandal. The first ever controversy of this magnitude, witnessed by the country, cuts short his career bringing him much shame and ignominy. From being labelled a living legend, Azhar becomes an accused. How that change happens and what Azhar goes through when faced with life-damning allegations form the crux of AZHAR.