Diljit Dosanjh-starrer Soorma, based on former Indian hockey captain Sandeep Singh’s career, hit theatres on 13 July. Sport biopics have always been highly anticipated in Bollywood, and this one’s no different. Also starring Taapsee Pannu, the movie has got mixed reviews so far.
But who is Sandeep Singh, and why has a movie been made on him?
Regarded as one of the most dangerous drag-flickers in his heyday, Sandeep Singh from Haryana made his India debut back in January 2004 during the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia and helped India win the Asia Cup the same year.
The 31-year-old drag-flick specialist – also known as ‘flicker Singh’ – was part of the Indian team that won silver in the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Under his leadership, India won the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup tournament after 13 years. And his 16-goal haul, including five in the final against France, propelled India into the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
While he’s given many golden moments to Indian hockey, Singh’s comeback to hockey after a life-threatening incident is what makes the lanky defender’s story even more inspiring. While travelling to Delhi for a national camp in 2006, Singh was accidentally shot by an RPF jawan inside the Delhi-Kalka Shatabdi Express. Fracturing his lowest rib, the bullet punctured his pancreas while his kidneys and liver were slightly damaged; a part of his spine took all the impact and was chipped.
After escaping life-long paralysis by a whisker, Sandeep returned to the field in 2008 and helped India finish second in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup the same year. He went on to gain prominence, becoming captain in 2009 and the rest, as they say, is history.
Though he’s been out of the national team since 2014, Sandeep did not give up and continued his hard work on the turf, plying his trade in Australian and European leagues as well as the Hockey India League to prove his mettle but eventually, a back injury last year during HIL dashed all his hopes.
My dad always tells me ‘jo suraj subah ko ugta hai wo sham ko asth hota hai’ (the sun which rises in the morning is bound to set in the evening). I too had my time and I tried to be as stable as possible to sustain for a longer period. I have played enough hockey and now I just want to give something back to the game for which I am here today.Sandeep Singh to PTI
A DSP in the Haryana Police, Singh is now eager to take up the mentor's role for youngsters wanting to master the art of drag-flicking. "I have specific plans, I have a lot of ideas, desi ideas which I want to implement in coaching. I want to work with Indian drag-flickers at the grass-root level and train them. Skill-wise and going by conversion rate I am still the No.1 drag-flicker in India.”
"On and off I am taking coaching lessons in Australia. I have plenty of ideas which I want to implement and share with youngsters. I can assure that if given a chance, I can improve 5 to 20 percent in every drag-flicker in each session. But I don't how and whom to approach in Hockey India," he told PTI.
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