Palwankar Baloo’s life story to be made into a film

In a welcome news for the cricket fraternity in India, the life story of Palwankar Baloo, a left arm spinner, who played for the Hindus in the Quadrangular Tournament (a predecessor of the Ranji Tropny), will be made into a film produced by Reel Life Entertainment. 

The movie will be based on Baloo’s story as written in Ramchandra Guha’s seminal book on Indian cricket history, ‘A Corner of a Foreign Field’. 

Born in Dharwad, Maharashtra, in 1876, Baloo belonged to the caste of leather workers. Because of his social identity he had to suffer discrimination throughout his career, where his team mates (both Indians and English) treated him as an untouchable. 

Later, he was involved in a tussle for captaincy of the Hindu side with MD Pai, a Saraswat Brahmin. Him being a Dalit and a bowler went against him initially, and this intersectionality of social hierarchies ensured that it was not until 1920 and the arrival of MK Gandhi, that Baloo was given the honor of being a captain. 

Delighted to share the news that Reel Life Entertainment have bought the cinematic rights to A CORNER OF A FOREIGN FIELD, my book about the remarkable Dalit cricketer Palwankar Baloo and his brothers. I am particularly pleased that Tigmanshu Dhulia will anchor the film project.

— Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) May 30, 2024

Baloo was inspired massively by Gandhi and was active in the home rule movement of India. He would go on to contest elections against Dr. BR Ambedkar in 1933 on the ticket of Hindu Mahasabha. 

Along with Reel Life Entertainment, the movie is also being produced by Bollywood actor Ajay Devgan and film maker Tigmanshu Dhulia, who will also be directing the movie. 

Dhulia has a lot of experience directing social dramas with movies like Paan Singh Tomar and Haasil being the crown jewels of his filmography.