Series Review Real Kashmir Football Club

Set up in the year 2016, the Real Kashmir Football Club grew from strength to strength with time. A new show on Sony LIV, named after the club, has been designed to depict the journey of the club and shed light on the kind of effort that went into putting it together. The show, featuring an ensemble cast led by Manav Kaul and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, has been directed by Mahesh Mathai and Rajesh Mapuskar. The show has been written by Dhruv Narang, Simaab Hashmi, Umang Vyas and Mahesh Mathai.

Shirish Kemmu (Manav Kaul), a Kashmiri Pandit who had to leave Kashmir along with his family in the early ‘90s owing to the exodus of the people from his community, comes back to the valley as a successful businessman. Shirish has multiple businesses. One of his businesses is a liquor store in Kashmir which is facing protests from hardliners. Disillusioned with the demands of his job as a journalist, Sohail (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub), decides to start afresh and fulfill his long-standing dream of setting up a football club in Kashmir.

Writers Dhruv Narang, Simaab Hashmi, Umang Vyas, Mahesh Mathai, after doing extensive research on real-life events that unfolded in Kashmir, have written a screenplay that spans across eight episodes. Each of the eight episodes in the series do an equally splendid job at depicting the socio-cultural climate of Kashmir and showcasing the evolution of the Real Kashmir Football Club. The writing keeps you invested in the series and does not let you lose your attention even for a minute. Most of the characters in the series are given a solid arc and that is the reason you remember each of them long after you finish watching the series. From the struggle the players are going through in their personal lives to the support and confusion the wives go through while standing behind their husbands in their mission, you relate to it all.

Inspired by the struggle Sandip Chattoo and Shamim Meraj, the founders of the Real Kashmir Football Club, went through, the show scores high on authenticity. As you finish watching the eight episodes, you feel inspired. One hopes there is another season that offers a glimpse into the kind of journey the club had after their initial triumph.