Movie Review – Chak De!

India

Team Members:
• Akshay Tyagi
• Anand Mohan Misra
• Babita Upadhyay
• Komal Talreja
• Pretam Mondal
CHAK DE! INDIA: A GUIDE TO GOOD
LEADERSHIP
• Chak De India was released in 2007. We were too young to understand the underlying
leadership lessons at that time but since then, we have watched it a couple of time; each
time learning a new leadership lesson. Shahrukh Khan as coach Kabir Khan not just
emerges as the winning coach but also as a best leader.
• Kabir Khan, played by SRK, is a former captain of the men’s hockey team. However, a loss
against Pakistan in the World Cup put him to utter public humiliation and sent him away
from the hockey scene for several years. His return, however, comes in the form of a
coach. He takes on the task of leading and training the women’s hockey team, a task that
no one was keen for.
• The movie then follows his entire journey of being a leader to these girls, as divided as
they were, and how he manages to find unity in that chaotic diversity.
CHAK DE! INDIA: A GUIDE TO GOOD
LEADERSHIP
• The task set before Khan was no small feat. All the girls in the team were from different
states, spoke different languages, belonged to different social classes and had different
strengths. This led to quite a significant power-shift in the team dynamics. The more
experiences dominated the lesser ones. The girls who gave from a more urban setting
undermined the ones who didn’t. Some seemingly more liberal in their lifestyle were not
too shy to demean the more shy and reserved ones.
• In fact, initially when they had to introduce themselves, each girl introduced herself by
her state identity. They were all asked to leave the line and stand to the side, still unclear
what their coach wanted. Only one, Vidya Sharma, who would go on to become the
captain, identified herself as belonging to Team India. This incident turned into a lesson in
team spirit. Khan makes sure to make Sharma reiterate to the team, the point being that
the team plays as one, as India.
CHAK DE! INDIA: A GUIDE TO GOOD
LEADERSHIP
• Given the mammoth task at hand, it was important for Kabir Khan to be as fair and impartial as
he could be. He bore no tolerance for slackers, conceited and smug players. He never hesitated
to make tough decisions. If the most experienced player had to be benched due to bad
behavior, so be it. To Khan, no one’s ego and self-assumed power could come in between the
game.
• His leadership was also a lesson in instilling courage and discipline in his team. Taking them for
early morning runs, difficult practice sessions and subjecting them to hard verbal beatings that
showed no mercy were all a part of his larger to plan to tie the team together.
• However, a highlight of the movie must be the iconic McDonald’s fight scene where, for the
first time, the team behaved like one. When a couple of misbehaved men teased some of the
girls in the restaurant, they all came as one and beat the men up, reminding us that nothing
unites a team of misfits together than a common goal.
CHAK DE! INDIA: A GUIDE TO GOOD
LEADERSHIP
• The most striking lesson in leadership that one could take from Khan was the way he managed to bring two
of his best players, Komal and Preeti, to play with each other rather than against each other. They had an
ongoing rivalry about being the highest goal-scorer but Khan knew that despite their strengths, this internal
tussle, which their opponents were aware of, would cost them the game. One would not pass the ball to
the other and vice versa.
• He recognized this weakness and inspired them to play with each other, teaching everyone that individual
interests and rivalries cannot contribute to the larger goal of the team. It only acts as an impediment. To
win, the team’s common interest always takes precedence over that of the individual. One must negotiate
and decide which is more important. If their personal goals are more important to them then quite simply
put, they are not a part of the team.
• A series of incidents, losses, benching, strategizing and wins manages to turn this team of diverse women
into one united front. Khan’s tough but intuitive leadership, ability to navigate tough waters and knowledge
of everyone’s individual strengths and weaknesses, leads these women to victory and they end up bringing
the World Cup home, having achieved a larger goal of cementing faith in women’s hockey.
CHAK DE! INDIA: A GUIDE TO GOOD
LEADERSHIP

• Chak De! India is a lesson in good management and communication skills

and how these can make it or break it for any team. Through a very shrewd
and motivated leader, the filmmakers manage to instill in viewers an idea
that a good leader is always one who is above power-play and politics. He
or she is the only one who can take a team from darkness to light.
Hersey & Blanchard’s Situational Leadership

•Directing: During initial time period, Kabir Khan gave specific task
direction & closely supervise their play; this is high task, low
relationship style.

•Coaching: After some time of training, Hockey team accepted his

leadership, explaining task directions in a supportive and persuasive
way; this is high task, high relationship style

•Supporting: During final match of world cup, he believed and

supported in the abilities of his team. It is possible because of
emphasizing of common shared goal & participative decisions; this
is a low-task, high relationship style
Lessons learnt

Nothing Is Challenges Are Stay Focused Process Getting

Impossible Opportunities And Committed Oriented involved
Thank you