MS Dhoni Movie Review: The Story of A Legend Everyone Loves

Why is the Movie Deemed as a Compelling MS Dhoni Biography on Screen?

We can attest and verify that making movies is no cakewalk. But biographical movies? They are a different game altogether and a whole lot more difficult to make, given the conundrum of finding a balance between authenticity and cinematic storytelling. 

Most Biographical Movies struggle to find the said balance and therefore fail to leave a lasting mark at the box office. And that’s where “M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story” differs. The movie that was released in 2016 somehow managed to work the formula and found a perfect equilibrium between real-life events and giving it a cinematic twist that made The MS Dhoni Biography one that continues to reign in the hearts of its cult audience even today.

The narrative begins in a modest household of Ranchi, showing a young Dhoni build dreams that turn into aspirations for the grown-up version of the man, ones that extend beyond the limitations and constrictions of his surroundings and make him break the shell to chase bigger dreams stretching beyond the boundaries of Bihar.

From establishing the love he always held for sports in all his school-life activities to the pivotal moment of his football coach noticing his reflexes and encouraging him to try wicket-keeping, Neeraj Pandey brings to life all significant moments of Dhoni’s life that lead him to be the man who brought home the 2011 World Cup trophy with the legendary six he throws up in the air.

Not only does the movie speak of Dhoni holding big dreams, but it also shows the struggles he goes through in his career before the man we all see and adore today. It’s his perseverance through frustrating times and the internal conflicts he feels during his time as a ticket collector between working for financial stability and trying to make his dream of playing for India that are shown beautifully in shots of Sushant Singh Rajput sitting alone on a busy railway station bench.

Simple shots, non-complex dialogues – that’s the formula Pandey uses to make Dhoni appear not like a born legend but a man who rose from the grounds to be the legend Dhoni became. 

However, what truly makes the movie so special and elevates it to almost the level of perfection is the emotional depth in the plot. Not only does the movie talk about Dhoni’s professional life, but also about his personal life. The narrative explores Dhoni’s relationship with his family, mentors, and his love life. 

It’s a biography that suddenly turns into a romantic story that makes us smile when Dhoni’s first girlfriend, played by Disha Patani, gently finds her way into his life. Their moments together, captured in a beautiful montage for the song “Kaun Tujhe,” feel youthful, full of warmth, and straight out of a best-selling romance fiction, as it also reveals the soft side of Dhoni that often gets clouded behind the whole hype of the “MS Dhoni Cricket Game” face.

However, just when you start falling for the Priyanka-Dhoni trope, Disha’s character dies, leaving Dhoni heartbroken, devastated, and emotionally adrift. The film handles Dhoni’s tragic loss of his first love with a generous sensitivity, portraying a man who carries the grief of losing his love while continuing to chase his dream, because there really is no scope for backing away when the dreams are as big as he holds. 

But life is all about second chances and hearts finding their way to another heart at the most unexpected times, and the movie makes sure to remind us of just that by exploring Dhoni getting a second chance at love when he meets Sakshi, portrayed by Kiara Advani.

Their story is one that is coated in simplicity and sincerity, one that restores Dhoni’s lost faith in love and life beyond cricket as it tells us the real-life version of Dhoni meeting the love of his life and life partner in Sakshi, who becomes his anchor and his biggest support system as the movie winds up to the iconic recreation of Dhoni’s winning shot at the 2011 ICC World Cup Final, which got India its well-deserved victory. 

The film recreates all important moments of Dhoni’s life with precision and yet adds the cinematic flair and musical backdrop that makes it more than just a biography and morphs it into a story that makes us feel the adrenaline rush of seeing Dhoni chasing the sports milestones; it also makes our hearts sing and smile seeing him fall in love and finding a happy ending even in his personal life.

Who Shines Bright in the MS Dhoni Movie Cast? 

Love for Dhoni is what brought the audience to the theatres. Perfection in plot building is what keeps them tuning in to watch the movie on OTT platforms ever so often. But it’s the MS Dhoni Untold Story cast that makes the movie so compelling; you forget the real vs reel difference for a while as you stay clocked in watching the movie.

The MS Dhoni movie cast is one of its biggest strengths, one that has the right set of people giving their exceptional performances whilst playing the right roles, ensuring that the story feels genuine and immersive at all points. 

The most notable performance of all is that of Sushant Singh Rajput playing the role of M.S. Dhoni. His transformation through the various stages of his character’s life, both physically and emotionally, is what renders the movie the touch of authenticity that makes you feel as if you are seeing Dhoni’s life unfold in real time. From replicating the prowess of Dhoni’s batting style to learning how to exude his calm persona, Rajput has gone an extra length to bring perfection to his role, and my oh my, how do we stand mesmerised by it all? 

Kiara Advani is cast as Sakshi Dhoni. Her character enters the narrative in a way that brings warmth and emotional balance to Dhoni’s life. For viewers searching for the MS Dhoni movie heroine name, Kiara Advani, playing the role of the leading lady of Dhoni’s life, qualifies to get the title. 

However, speaking of female protagonists, we also cannot ignore the second leading lady in the MS Dhoni The Untold Story cast – Disha Patani, who plays the role of Dhoni’s first girlfriend, Priyanka Jha. She plays what could at best be called a cameo role, but, given that it introduces us to a tender romantic phase of Dhoni’s life, her role is counted as one of the most prominent ones in the movie. 

Veteran actor Anupam Kher portrays the role of Dhoni’s father with an air of quiet authority and realism. He fits well into the caricature of a middle-class father who struggles to see the unconventional dream of his son of being a professional cricketer above his own preset notions of wanting his son to have a “stable career”, giving the Indian audience a reflection of what most young dreamers face in their own conventional homes, the generation gap and ideological difference that comes with it. 

Among other notable actors, Rajesh Sharma, Kumud Mishra, and Rajendra Chawla are cast as supporting actors who play the roles of Dhoni’s coach, guide, and first sponsor. 

Rhea Sharma plays the role of Sakshi’s friend, who acts as the central figure that brings Mahi and Sakshi together, while Alok Pandey, Sanjay Dadhich, and Sandeep Nahar play the roles of Dhoni’s friends who act as his primary support system and biggest cheerleaders while he is on the quest to build the career he dreamt of. 

Other than that, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Kumar Sangakkara, Gautam Gambhir, and many other known cricketers make a cameo appearance in the movie via archival footage of real-life matches. 

How Realistically Does the Movie Portray the “MS Dhoni Cricket Journey”?

Sports dramas and biographies are known to exaggerate reality for the sake of building a larger-than-life fictional narrative that’s far more romantic, adventurous, or complex than what happened in real life. However, “M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story” is one sports biopic that only trudges along the lines of cinematic flair while continuing to largely speak of real-life events of Dhoni’s life, grounded in facts and not fiction. 

The film meticulously recreates all the big and small pivotal moments of Dhoni’s life, right from his early local cricket tournaments to his gradual progression in his cricket career as he climbs the ladder from being selected for the Indian cricket team to being the captain who led the team in the 2011 World Cup. 

One of the most compelling sequences in the movie shows his breakthrough innings against Pakistan, where his aggressive batting style, for the first time, catches the attention of the cricket world. Another major, and, apparently, the most beautiful depiction of a real-life event, is Dhoni’s iconic six in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup final, which sealed India’s historic win. The director has skilfully built the tension around the big moment that truly lets the audience relive the adrenaline rush every cricket fan felt at that moment back in 2011 when the ball was up in the air, and India’s fate was resting on how far Dhoni’s hit lands. 

Some critics point out that the movie has skipped some of the controversial moments of Dhoni’s career, but we, at Inside Box Office, believe that omitting those parts has really done no harm to the movie. In fact, we appreciate how the narrative focuses on inspiration rather than controversy, making it a light-hearted, uplifting, happy-hour watch for audiences of all ages and interests. 

The Songs That Continue to Trend Even After a Decade

Music plays a key role in enhancing the emotional impact of any film. Songs are the devices used to create montages that take us through some of the most important phases of the lives of protagonists. And music albums of movies are what keep the memories of movies alive in the minds of people long after the credits roll. 

“M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story” is one movie that truly won at giving Bollywood lovers a music album that continues to reign on the playlists and music charts even after a decade of its release, sparking a range of queries online, ranging from “MS Dhoni movie popular song” to “MS Dhoni songs download.”

The soundtrack of the movie features several memorable numbers composed by Amal Mallik and Rochak Kohli. Amongst the most popular songs from the movie’s music album are: 

Kaun Tujhe: This is a romantic song that, in the movie, comes with a montage that is built around Dhoni’s first love.

Besabriyan: This MS Dhoni movie song is one that covers Dhoni’s journey through wanting to achieve the heights he has always wanted to have. It’s an inspiring anthem that’s much loved even today, as it speaks about perseverance and ambition.

Jab Tak: The most underrated song of the music album, this song is one that defines romance like no other. You see the hide-and-seek between Dhoni and Sakshi as they get closer and build their relationship, eventually tying the knot. This song feels straight out of a romance novel, and you don’t want to miss this, we assure you!

What Key Details Should Fans Know About the MS Dhoni Movie Release Date, Budget, and OTT Platform Availability?

Directed by Neeraj Pandey, “M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story” was released on 30th September, 2016, and it was made on an impressive budget of ₹110 crore. 

With a runtime of 184 minutes, the movie takes its time to unravel the story of M.S. Dhoni, from his modest beginnings in Ranchi to his rise to power as one of India’s best captains to date. The movie was originally made in Hindi but was also dubbed in Telugu and Tamil to allow the movie to have a wider audience reach. 

Upon its theatrical release, the movie opened across thousands of screens worldwide and quickly emerged as a box-office success. The powerful narrative of perseverance, the story of a much-loved captain of the Indian cricket team, and the compelling performance of Sushant Singh Rajput as Dhoni struck a major chord with audiences. 

The movie also made some really good numbers at the Box Office, earning a good ₹119 crore net on the Indian box office and making a gross profit of ₹189.50 crore worldwide. 

Today, the movie is available on JioHotstar and many other regional streaming services, depending on licensing and location. The accessibility through these platforms is what has helped the movie to remain a hit amongst cricket and Bollywood fans, even a decade after its release.

What Are The Awards And Acclaims That The M.S. Dhoni Movie Won? 

The movie has been a theatrical success in its genre. It’s where sportsmanship met cinematic depiction mid-way to re-create history that keeps Dhoni close to the hearts of all Indians. 

It makes sense that the movie had its own shining moment at many award shows, acclaimed rightly for its performance and widespread audience appreciation.

Sushant Singh Rajput received massive critical acclaim for his portrayal of M.S. Dhoni in the movie. At the India Film Festival of Melbourne, Big Zee Entertainment Awards, and Screen Awards, he won the awards for Best Actor for the movie.

Disha Patani, who made her debut with the movie, won the awards for Best Actor(female) in a debut role at the Big Zee Entertainment Awards, International Indian Film Academy Awards, Screen Awards, and Stardust Awards. Anupam Kher also won several awards for his supporting role as Dhoni’s Father. 

The film’s music is one of its greatest strengths, and it managed to prove that by winning some big awards for the movie, where the singers and specific songs were felicitated with awards and claims on stage.

All things apart, however, the biggest award and acclaim for the movie is the love that its audience continues to shower upon it, even after a decade. That right there is a mark of a movie that is going to have its name written in the pages of Hollywood with Golden Ink and no less.

Why Does Inside Box Office Give the Movie 3.5 Out Of 5 Stars?

We at Inside Box Office give the movie a solid 3.5 out of 5 stars based on its strengths and weaknesses. 

The movie’s greatest strength lies in the brilliant performance by the entire cast, especially Sushant Singh Rajput. The narrative is tight, the storytelling is compelling, and the movie overall does not really have any loopholes that make your eyes twitch. The movie is a true-to-life biopic for the better part, as it recreates some of Dhoni’s pivotal career moments and also moments from his personal life, like the wedding scene, where Kiara Advani wears the same dress as Dhoni’s real-life bride. And the cherry on top of this cake is definitely the movie’s music album, which continues to reign on the playlists and track charts even today. 

However, like every human creation, this movie too has some flaws, like a lengthy runtime and a few dramatic moments that feel extra stretchy and unnecessarily overhyped and emotional. This is what makes us take one and a half stars away from letting the movie have a perfect score. 

Final Verdict: Is the MS Dhoni Movie Still Relevant to be Watched by the Newer Generation? 

Yes! The movie is relevant to be watched by newer generations. Even years after its release, the MS Dhoni movie remains a deeply inspiring film that resonates with the audiences, generations being no bar because the film is not just about cricket or a cricket legend but about dreams, resilience, perseverance, and the courage to pursue one’s dream, no matter the time it takes to reach the helm you are eyeing or the impediments you have to cross along the way to be where you want to be. 

For fans of sports drama, biopics, romance, or simply inspiring stories, this film is one that brings with it a rewarding cinematic experience. As Inside Box Office has highlighted in this article, the film is a major success in capturing the extraordinary tale of an ordinary man who chose to dream even when everyone around him told him not to. 

In a conversation between Dhoni and his boss at the railway station, his boss tells him, ”Life mein sab ball ek samaan thode na milega, merit pe khelna hai aur tike rehna hai toh score board apne aap badhega.” It’s a lesson not just to Dhoni but to the audience about life being unpredictable and throwing a different ball in our court every time, meaning to say, you won’t always deal with the same problem and situation, but if you fight all issues alike based on your merit and perseverance, you’ll always continue scaling greater heights. Its dialogues are laden with such inner meanings and real-life teachings that make the movie relevant and a must-watch for younger generations.

Ultimately, the movie reminds us that greatness is not defined by talent alone but is deeply etched in perseverance, sacrifices, and honest-to-God belief in oneself. We love the movie for the story and also this message, and highly recommend you watch it if you haven’t already. 

Stay tuned to Inside Box Office for more such reviews and detailed analysis of movies that are sure to bring you joy and a great cinematic experience.