Bollywood biopic ‘MS Dhoni: An Untold Story’ on the life of
India’s most celebrated sports icon and ODI skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has
failed to woo his ancestral villagers in Uttarakhand. Most of the relatives of
Mahi, living at Lawali in district Almora, recently watched the movie’s pirated
copy and were hurt with no mention about their village in the Bollywood flick.
The film managed to reach the village, that is accessible on foot by
undertaking a 5 km trek, after over one month of its release worldwide.

Dhoni’s native village is located in a remote part of the
hill state. With the nearest theatre about 115 km away, little option prevailed
for the Lawali residents.

Leaving a few, most saw the film on mobile phone recently. In anticipation of
finding some references and scenes of the village, youths obtained an illegal
copy of the film. But the film failed to leave a deep mark on the heart of the
Lawali residents.

Young Sanjay Dhoni, a class tenth standard student, rues,
“Mahinder Singh Dhoni is my uncle. Liked the film, but was hurt with finding
nothing about our village.” Another young boy, Neeraj Dhoni says, “Enjoyed
cricket in the film. But we would have landed in seventh heaven had Lawali
featured in the movie.”

Lawali is home to 50 families- with a population of about
500 involved mainly in agriculture and some in central/state government jobs.
The villagers had hope that if Lawali get featured in the Hindi movie it will
attract attention of planners and some development activities will take place here.
The village is waiting for a motorable road since ages.

MS Dhoni’s cousin, Hayat Dhoni was among the few villagers
to watch the film in theatre. They had to take a long journey for this. First
by undertaking a 5 km walk from their village, followed by a 110 km journey by
jeep/bus to finally reach Haldwani.

Hayat says, “We had to spend almost one full day for
watching the film and returning to village. Film about one of fellow villager
thrilled, but no Lawali in film pinched. Even Dhoni’s elder brother Narendra
failed to find place in the movie.”

When the Sushant Singh Rajput starrer movie released, on 30
September this year, Lawali villagers were excited. They expected the biopic to
touch the roots of the famous Indian cricketer. But, all their hopes have come
down crashing.

India’s ODI captain MS Dhoni last came to his native village
in 2003. Even in 2011, when Mahi married Sakshi in Dehradun, he ensured that
his relatives attend the marriage- who were brought secretly for the function
in Uttarakhand‘s capital. MSD’s parents are constantly in touch with the
villagers and his real uncle Ghanpath Dhoni lives in Lawali with his
family.

Even for getting a pirated copy of ‘MS Dhoni: An Untold
Story’, Mahi’s relatives had to wait for over one month. The film has taken the
Lawali residents by surprise- like Dhoni’s helicopter shot shocks his
opponent team.

By Raju Gusain