What’s the next big thing this September? Breakaway! Produced by Akshay Kumar’s banner Hariom Entertainment, the film is a Hollywood/Canadian/Punjabi mix with international performers directed by Robert Lieberman. Breakaway is about THE sport of Canada – Ice Hockey! The film is a cross-cultural hockey drama set in the Indo-Canadian community in suburban Toronto, Canada. The movie is a full action, colourful, humourous, heart-felt musical. The setting is an obstacle-strewn love story with a dramatic quest for the hero. It’s also a keenly observed cross-cultural drama in the same classification as Bend It Like Beckham with a hero caught between a family’s traditional expectations and a dream to make it big in the national sport of an adopted country.
Synopsis: Rajveer Singh is a 21 year old young man dreaming of a professional hockey career. The film opens with him dreaming of scoring a game winning goal, followed by a moment of bliss as beautiful girls surround him. Unquestionably, he has the talent to be an accomplished player, but faces many hurdles, the biggest of which is himself.
Raised as a traditional Sikh, Rajveer was forbidden as a boy to cut his hair and had to wear a turban, this stopped him from playing hockey, the game he loved. In his early teens, forsaking his family’s religious traditions and beliefs, he removed his turban and cut his hair so he’d be more accepted within his country. His goal was to succeed in a traditional white man’s sport, but this conflicted with his father’s wish that he’d devote his life to his religion and the family business.
Unable to find a foothold in the game, Rajveer takes matters into his own hands by creating an all Indian hockey team (The Speedy Singhs), finding a coach and then bringing on his Uncle Sammy’s trucking company as the team sponsor, doing all this behind his father’s back. Along the way to the championship game, he is faced with the questions he had not wanted to address: family, friendship, loyalty and identity. And until he can answer these questions, the podium will always be out to his reach.
Breakway, full of love, color and fun brings to the life the coming of age of a young man and gives further insight into the immigrant family experience. It brings a clash of Bollywood entertainment to Canada’s favorite sport!
Breakaway boasts an international cast of actors including Vinay Virmani, Rob Lowe, the hot American actress Camilla Belle, and the internationally acclaimed comedian Russell Peters. If that wasn’t cool enough we also have our own Anupam Kher in the movie with a special appearance by Akshay Kumar!
What’s interesting is that, comedy sensation, Russell Peters who is known world across for his gags and stand up performances will be seen on screen in this Indo-Canada cultural movie for the very first time. His comedy acts are mostly made up of observational comedy where he uses humor to poke fun at the subjects of race, class and culture, often using his own life experiences as well as impersonations of different cultural accents. It will be interesting to watch how Russell Peters acts his way out in his first Indo-Canadian venture.
We’ve got an exclusive first look for you here. Check out the man himself, Russell Peters speaks for the movie and of course, himself.
