The series Real Kashmir Football Club, starring Manav Kaul and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, explores everyday struggles in Srinagar through a fictional football club story. Directed by Mahesh Mathai and Rajesh Mapuskar, it draws from real events but faces criticism for uneven writing. Streaming on Sony LIV, it captures Kashmir beyond typical conflict imagery.
In Real Kashmir Football Club, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub plays Sohail Meer, a disillusioned journalist who quits his job to form a football team for local youth amid unrest. He partners with Shirish Kemmu, portrayed by Manav Kaul, a liquor seller targeted by conservative leader Nazir Dar for his business. Shirish funds the club after negotiations, promising Sohail to recruit players and a coach.
The narrative is inspired by Shamim Mehraj and Sandeep Chattoo, who founded the actual Real Kashmir FC in 2016 following the 2014 floods. The first episode briefly notes how football can provide purpose to young people in turmoil. Directors Mahesh Mathai and Rajesh Mapuskar present a sensitive portrayal of Srinagar's daily life, focusing on bustling lanes, salons, butchers, and locals enjoying kahwa under the sun, moving past clichéd sights like Dal Lake.
However, the writing falters with direct, bullet-point-like backstories. Shirish's emotional return to his childhood home in Pampore, after his Kashmiri Pandit family fled in the 1990s, feels rushed and detached despite Kaul's sincere performance. Sohail's conflicts with his wife over practicality add little depth, and players' individual struggles—such as Dilshad choosing between football and family support, or goalkeeper Rudra pressured into studies—remain underdeveloped.
Unlike the interpersonal dynamics in Chak De! India, the team lacks emotional bonds, and on-field scenes are clumsily shot, missing intensity. While the light-hearted take on Kashmir is refreshing, it needs more gravitas to fully engage.