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Who was Syed Abdul Rahim? All about football legend whose life inspired Ajay Devgn’s sports drama Maidaan
Ajay Devgn’s Maidaan is currently gearing up for its release. As the makers released the final trailer, here’s everything you need to know about the football legend who has inspired this movie.
Ajay Devgn has taken to the ‘Maidaan’ with his next. On Tuesday, the final trailer of the much-anticipated biographical sports drama was released by the makers. After being delayed for quite some time now, Ajay Devgn's Maidaan is set to hit the theatres on April 10, making fans’ Eid even more special. But do you know the legend who inspired Maidaan?
Meet Syed Abdul Rahim - The inspiration behind Ajay Devgn starrer Maidaan
This Amit Ravindernath Sharma directorial will explore the life of Syed Abdul Rahim who contributed largely to the rise of Indian football in the late 1900s. Ajay who plays his part in the movie announced this project back in 2020. However, due to one or the other reason, the movie got delayed until now.
Who was Syed Abdul Rahim?
Rahim was the coach of the Indian football team from 1950 to 1963 and it was the same period during which India won two gold medals at the Asian Games in 1951 and 1962.
Born on August 17, 1909, in Hyderabad, Syed started his career as a teacher before venturing into football. Rahim completed his education at Osmania University and played football for a team of his university's alumni. He also taught at various schools including Kachiguda Middle School, Urdu Sharif School, Darul-ul-Uloom High School, and Chaderghat High School.
Rahim earned a diploma in physical education and became a professional footballer, playing for the local Qamar Club and the Dutch Amateur League club HSV Hoek in the Netherlands. He also led the Hyderabad Football Association from 1943 until his death. It was in 1950 that Rahim became the coach of the Hyderabad Police team and led them to five consecutive Rovers Cup victories and four Durand Cup wins. However, India did not participate in the 1950 FIFA World Cup.
In 1951, India won the Asian Games gold medal, defeating Iran 1-0 in the final in Delhi, a match attended by late former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Rahim introduced the 4-2-4 formation, ahead of its adoption by Brazil in the 1958 and 1962 World Cups, and under his leadership, India finished fourth at the 1956 Summer Olympics.
Rahim’s life faced a rough patch after he was diagnosed with cancer before the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta. Where India won gold by defeating South Korea 2-1, Syed at 53 lost his battle to life a year later on June 11, 1963.
What makes Rahim’s life even more inspiring is that Rahim achieved remarkable success despite the limited resources available to him and his team. The infrastructure for football in India during his time was not as developed as it is today, and the support from authorities was minimal. Yet, Rahim's resourcefulness and dedication led his teams to achieve outstanding results.
What more do we know about Maidaan?
The trailer of Maidaan which was released earlier today relives Syed’s challenging task of forming a powerful team, with members coming from various walks of life, including those from India's slums. Despite aiming for a smooth run, Ajay Devgn's character encounters doubt and resistance, with his unconventional choices and techniques under scrutiny. Putting these hurdles aside, he is determined to push through and promises to leave coaching if he cannot lead the team to victory.
Things turn upside down when the team faces defeat at the Asian Games and experiences severe criticism, dramatically illustrated by a scene where their bus is besieged by an angry crowd armed with stones and sticks. How he handles the downhill will be the tale up on screen in theatres near you this Eid.
ALSO READ: Maidaan Final Trailer: Ajay Devgn is a tough coach who promises to bring back football's golden era
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