"That one year has been like a film for him" - Singham Again director Rohit Shetty does a cinematic analysis of Hardik Pandya's redemption story

Singham Again director Rohit Shetty has compared Team India all-rounder Hardik Pandya's last one year to a film. According to Shetty, the versatile cricketer's fall and rise is a typical cinematic tale of a character, who is at his lowest ebb, but fights back in commendable fashion.

Pandya was named Mumbai Indians (MI) captain for IPL 2024, replacing Rohit Sharma, who had been in charge for a decade. Fans of the franchise, however, were extremely displeased with the decision and booed him even at MI's home ground - the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Mumbai Indians finished last in IPL 2024. Feeling the heat, Pandya struggled with both the bat and the ball.

The same cricketer was, however, cheered at the Wankhede Stadium during a felicitation ceremony for Team India after they won the 2024 T20 World Cup. Pandya played a key role in India's victory and even bowled the last over in the final against South Africa. He was in tears after the famous triumph.

During his recent appearance on Ranveer Allahbadia's YouTube show, along with Singham Again lead actor Ajay Devgn, Shetty shared his views on Pandya's inspirational redemption story from a filmmaker's perspective. He said:

"Hardik's last one year has been like cinematic. He was booed, trolled and then came a time when we won the World Cup. And then people were cheering for him. It's like a cinema.

"That one year has been like a film for him - a character who rises and falls and falls in such a way that in a stadium 10,000-20,000 people are booing him. And then when comes back to the same stadium, people are cheering for him and he's crying. That's cinema," the 50-year-old commented.

Watch video [start from 1:24 onwards]

India beat South Africa by seven runs in the 2024 T20 World Cup final in Barbados. The Proteas needed 16 runs in the last over, but Pandya conceded only eight as the Men in Blue registered a win for the ages.

---

A glance at Hardik Pandya's performance in the 2024 T20 World Cup

In eight matches for Team India in the 2024 T20 World Cup held in the West Indies and the USA, Pandya scored 144 runs at an average of 48 and a strike rate of 151.57. With the ball, he claimed 11 scalps at an average of 17.36.

The all-rounder registered figures of 3-27 against Ireland in India's first match in the competition and followed it up with 2-24 against Pakistan and 2-14 against the USA. In the final against the Proteas, Pandya claimed 3-30.

With the ball, the right-hander scored 32 off 24 against Afghanistan, 50* off 27 against Bangladesh, 27* off 17 against Australia and 23 off 13 in the semifinal against England in Guyana. In the final against South Africa, he was unbeaten on five off two balls.