Next Goal Wins' Taika Waititi Says Everyone Should Watch Bollywood Film ABCD: 'It's a Fantastic...'

International director Taika Waititi revealed he has watched his share of Indian content and went on to recommend a surprising movie to watch. The filmmaker is gearing for the release of his upcoming film, Next Goal Wins. Ahead of the Searchlight Pictures film release, Taika shared that he is a fan of the acclaimed filmmaker Satyajit Ray. However, what surprised us all was that he has watched Remo D’Souza’s ABCD, short for ABCD: Any Body Can Dance.

In a statement to the press, Taika revealed, “Of course, the Satyajit Ray film ‘Pather Panchali’ [1955]. It was beautiful and very inspirational when I was making my early films. Next is the fabulous ‘ABCD’ which is a fantastic big film which I think everyone should watch.”

ABCD: Any Body Can Dance released in 2013 and starred Prabhu Deva in lead role along with Ganesh Acharya and Kay Kay Menon. The film featured several small screen dancers and choreographers, including Salman Yusuff Khan, Dharmesh Yelande, Lauren Gottlieb and Punit Pathak.

Meanwhile, Next Goal Wins is a sports comedy-drama adapted from a 2014 documentary of the same name. In the initial documentary directed by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison, the plot shows the transformation of the American Samoan national football team. Originating as the lowest-ranked team globally, they faced a humiliating 31-0 defeat against Australia in a 2001 World Cup qualifier match.

Under the lens of Taika Waititi in the 2023 adaptation, the lead role in the film is played by Michael Fassbender, who portrays Thomas Rongen, the coach tasked with steering the team away from their infamous historical defeat. The focus of the film also shifts towards Jaiyah Saelua, a player who made history as the first transgender player to participate in a World Cup qualifier game.

The plot explores how the connections forged within a team can help individuals to overcome grief and adversity. Apart from Michael Fassbender, the cast ensemble also includes Oscar Kightley, David Fane, Kaimana, Lehi Falepapalangi, Semu Filipo, Uli Latukefu, Rachel House, Will Arnett, and Elisabeth Moss.