Dhoni’s initials are the most famous of all cricketers’ — M S could stand for Master Strategist or Motivational Skipper. It could perhaps, also denote Mahendra Singh. A film made on one of the shrewdest tacticians the game has seen, is bound to create more than just a flutter. MSD charts the ascent of the boy from Ranchi who tried his hand at goalkeeping, only for his coach to spot the wicket-keeping potential in the young lad.

Spanning 30 years, from his birth (7 July, 1981) to the World Cup triumph (2 April, 2011), the film showcases the small-town cricketer’s ride to fame from TC (Ticket Collector) to TC (Triumphant Captain). His romance with Priyanka (Disha Patani) and Sakshi (Kiara Advani) has more than a few tender moments. So too are his growing up years in a low middle-class family, with his father wanting him to take up a government job, or the unconditional support of his childhood buddies.
Sushant Singh Rajput, albeit without much physical resemblance, does a fine job of incorporating Dhoni’s mannerisms. The supporting cast, which includes Anupam Kher as the father, Bhumika Chawla as the sister, Rajesh Sharma as coach and Kumud Mishra as the employer, have given decent performances.

Actors portraying well-known players and officials fleeting show up while Ravi Shastri’s studio-recorded commentary is all too obvious. MSD stops just short of the transition from Captain Cool to Daddy Cool, conveniently eschewing the circumstances in which captaincy was bestowed upon him, and the unpropitious episodes such as his conflict of interest in CSK (IPL), or relinquishing his captaincy midway through the series. But yes, we are shown Dhoni wanting three senior teammates to be given the boot for an upcoming limited-over series.
By sheer coincidence, or by intent, the film is the length of a T-20 match, something in which our protagonist excelled. It’s an overly long film, with Dhoni’s love for bikes (zooming helmetless on freeways) thrust upon the viewer. So too are the brand endorsements by the dozen. Part biography, part hagiography, and part cricket documentary (with plenty of archival footage), MSD is a film to watch if you are a cricket or a Dhoni fan.