8 Films On Female Athletes You Can Watch Ahead Saina Biopic

Films on Female Athletes: Indian audience has been loving films with real-life sportspersons recently.

Nearly all the movies that are made on the lives of athletes are embraced with open arms, both by the audiences and the critics. Recent years have seen a rise in sports-centric biopics in Indian cinema and the viewers can't get enough of them.

With the upcoming release of the movie Saina, a biopic on the life of Olympic Winner, female badminton player, Saina Nehwal, the talks about women in sports has once again taken hights. Saina is a movie directed by Amole Gupte and the role of the Olympic medallist is played by Parineeti Chopra. The film releases on 26 of March in cinemas.

So, if you are desperately waiting for the movie to come out and can't keep your calm, you can watch some other films made on the lives of your favorite athletes.

Here are 8 films on female athletes you can watch ahead of Saina's release:

1. Dangal

Dangal is a 2016 biographical sports film based on the lives of Commonwealth gold medalist wrestlers Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari. Born in Balali village of Charkhi Dadri district, Haryana, Geeta Phogat became the first wrestler to win a Gold medal in Commonwealth games for India in 2010 and also became the first-ever Indian female wrestler to qualify for Olympic summer games.

Babita Kumari on the other hand won a Silver medal in the 2010 and 2018 Commonwealth Games, a Gold Medal in the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and a Bronze Medal in the 2012 World Wrestling Championships. This film gives an insight into the lives of the Phogat sister from when they started in the field of wrestling as they were kids, to how they became a name that everyone in the nation knows.

2. Mary Kom

Based on the life of 6 times world boxing champion, Mary Kom is a film that has made its place in the hearts of every Indian. Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom has won so many medals that one can't count on the fingers of the hand. She has also been awarded by The Padma Bushan, The Padma VIbhushan, and The Padma Shri.

The film shows Kom's love and dedication for boxing and the difficulties that she faces to achieve her dream. It also deals with the family dynamics between a father and a daughter who have completely different opinions about her dreams.

The film inspires hugely when Kom restarts boxing after giving birth to twins and does not give up on her dreams even after becoming a mother. The support that she receives from her husband is also praiseworthy.

3. Limitless

Limitless is a Netflix Documentary about 8 Indian women who find themselves and regain confidence through running. With the changing times, a lot has changed for women, and especially for women in sports. But have things changed enough to make it so easy that women can pursue the sport of their choice without being criticised for it?

This is a real story that deals with the lives of 8 ordinary female runners across India. They have been pushed to an edge, but still manage to find joys and happiness in their lives through running.

4. Skydancers - Queens of the sky

Made in 2014, this TV documentary tells a tale about women in Aerobatics. The world of aerobatics for women is still developing. This award-winning documentary tells us about the world's some of the best female pilots. The documentary takes place at the 27th World Aerobatics Championships (WAC), Texas.

It has a great depiction of strong and fascinating women who are at the top of their sport, make the sky their own.

5. Lorena: la de pies ligeros

Lorena: la de pies ligeros, which translates to Lorena: Light Footed Woman is a Spanish language documentary, (later translated in English) about a long-distance runner who is from a remote area of Mexico. Lorena Ramirez is a long-distance runner who is passionate about running, ultramarathons, and even in the forests of her neighborhood wearing sandals and long skirts.

She's a woman who won't smile much even if you ask her to; but that in no way means that she's not happy. She's happy when she runs, so that is what she does. She runs as a woman who was born to do so.

6. Fighting With My Family

Based on the 2012 documentary The Wrestlers: Fighting with My Family, this is a biographical sports comedy-drama. It is based on the life of Saraya-Jade Bevis, known by her ring name Paige, who is an English professional wrestler. She's the youngest and a two-time WWE Divas Champion. Paige made her debut as a wrestler at the young age of 13 and then went on ahead to make her name in WWE.

This film shows the ups and downs in her life and her journey to become a WWE professional wrestler.

7. Shadow Boxers

This 1999 documentary film is about women's boxing and it mainly focuses on Lucia Rijker. If you are a boxing enthusiast, and also love watching documentaries, this one is a win-win for you.

8. New Generation Queens: A Zanzibar Soccer Story

This film is about the women of Zanzibar, who break the norms to achieve their dreams. It's considered Immoral for women to play football in Zanzibar. Society and the families of the women try to make them do what is conventional for women, which playing football isn't. But despite all the challenges they face, the women here are fearless and resilient. New Generation Queens is one of the only women's football teams in Zanzibar, and this documentary shows their journey to the Copa Coca Cola national soccer tournament.