PremiumWorld Athletes Day - Must-watch classics featuring Irrfan Khan, Brad Pitt, and others on OTT
Commemorate World Athletes Day with unforgettable film experiences that showcase inspirational journeys.
Last Updated: 03.22 PM, May 07, 2024
On this World Athletes Day, watch several fascinating films that highlight the tenacity, perseverance, and success of athletes. These cinematic classics, ranging from touching dramas to riveting biopics, follow the incredible stories of people who overcome incredible odds to make a lasting impact in the world of sports.
These films on OTT platforms provide an enthralling look into the ups and downs of athletic pursuits, whether it's the captivating exploits of track and field champions like Billy Mills and Jesse Owens, the majestic achievements of Olympic legend Louis Zamperini, or the moving stories of overlooked heroes like So Wa Wai.
Step into the thrilling realm of physical talent and human resilience with us, where the force of the human spirit is on full display with every stride.
Movies to watch on World Athletes Day
Across the Tracks - Plex
Sandy Tung directed and wrote the 1991 drama film Across the Tracks, which is about track and field. David Anthony Marshall, Carrie Snodgress, Brad Pitt, and Rick Schroder are the stars.
Brad Pitt's character Joe Maloney, a straight-A student, is vying for an athletic scholarship to Stanford University. He and his mom, Carrie Snodgress, make their home in a caravan park near Gardena, California. Rick Schroder's portrayal of Billy, his troublesome younger brother, frees him from juvenile detention following his arrest for car theft, and he returns to live with them, upending his carefully planned future.
Ethir Neechal - ZEE5 (OTTplay Premium) and Disney+ Hotstar
R. S. Durai Senthilkumar wrote and directed the Tamil sports comedy drama Ethir Neechal in 2013. It was Senthilkumar's first feature film as a filmmaker. With Sivakarthikeyan, Priya Anand, and Nandita Swetha as its stars, Dhanush's Wunderbar Films produced the film.
To escape the ongoing humiliation, Kunjithapatham decides to change his name. A trainer named Nandita encourages him to run a marathon under a new name so he can escape the scrutiny of those who know him from his past.
Forrest Gump - Netflix and Prime Video
Eric Roth wrote the comedy-drama Forrest Gump, and Robert Zemeckis directed it. It features Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, and Sally Field and is based on the 1986 book of the same name by Winston Groom. Harrison portrays Forrest Gump, an Alabama man, in the story, which takes place in the twentieth century in the United States of America.
A 75-IQ guy from Alabama watches as the world goes by, taking note of the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, the Vietnam War, Watergate, and more. Reuniting with his childhood sweetheart is his sole desire.
Paan Singh Tomar - Netflix
The 2012 biopic Paan Singh Tomar follows the life of the titular character, a seven-time national steeplechase champion and soldier in the Indian Army who, after serving his country, rebelled violently against the government. UTV Motion Pictures produced the film, which Tigmanshu Dhulia directed. Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Vipin Sharma, and Mahie Gill were the supporting actors, with Irrfan Khan in the titular role.
Race - Prime Video
Jesse Owens, an African-American athlete who set a record with four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, is the subject of the 2016 biographical sports drama film Race. The film stars Stephan James (as Owens), Jason Sudeikis, Jeremy Irons, William Hurt, and Carice van Houten. Stephen Hopkins directed it, while Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse wrote the script.
Against Adolf Hitler's Aryan supremacist ideology, Jesse Owens competes in the 1936 Olympics on a global platform in his pursuit to become the greatest track and field athlete of all time. An uplifting drama about a man's struggle to become an Olympic legend, Race is also an engrossing picture about bravery, focus, and camaraderie, based on a truly remarkable tale.
Running Brave - MX Player
Billy Mills, an Oglala Sioux from South Dakota, is the subject of the 1983 biographical sports drama film Running Brave. Billy Mills was born on the reservation and attended KU, where the Olympic running team selected him. He went on to win the 10,000-metre race at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Mills finished in third place but pulled off one of the biggest surprises in sports history by sprinting to victory. To this day, he stands alone as the sole American to ever win the 10,000-metre race at the Olympics. Robby Benson portrays Mills, with Pat Hingle and a young Graham Greene joining him.
The Jesse Owens Story - Plex
The Jesse Owens Story, a two-part, four-hour biopic, debuted on television in 1984. It chronicles the life of the African-American athlete Jesse Owens. In the movie, Dorian Harewood plays the role of the Olympic gold medalist. The drama won a Primetime Emmy in 1985 and received two more nominations.
Dorian Harewood portrays Jesse Owens, a 1960s man who faces tax evasion accusations. The court appoints Lew Gilbert, an investigator (Georg Stanford Brown), to investigate Owens' background. He discovers a life filled with challenges and victories. Although he endures racism on a daily basis as a young man, George Kennedy's character, Charles Riley, plays a key role in Owens's journey to the 1936 Olympics. A symbol of hope for African-Americans in the United States, he defeats Hitler.
Unbroken - JioCinema
William Nicholson, Richard LaGravenese, and the Coen brothers wrote the 2014 biographical war drama Unbroken, while Angelina Jolie produced and directed it. Laura Hillenbrand's 2010 nonfiction book Unbroken: A Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption served as the film's inspiration. Miyavi plays Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) corporal Mutsuhiro Watanabe, and Jack O'Connell plays the role of American Olympian and Army officer Louis "Louie" Zamperini.
Olympic athlete Louis Zamperini survived a near-fatal plane crash during World War II, but he and two other crewmen endured a terrifying 47 days on a raft before the Japanese navy captured them and put them in a prisoner-of-war camp. The Japanese took Zamperini and transferred him to numerous prisoner-of-war camps after he survived for 47 days on a raft following his bomber's drop in the ocean during World War II.
Zero to Hero - Netflix
Jimmy Wan directed the 2021 Hong Kong biographical sports drama Zero to Hero, also known as On Your Mom, Get Set, Go! So Wa Wai, a paralympian who won medals after overcoming personal and physical obstacles with the support of his mother, is the inspiration for the film. The video chronicles the life of So Wa Wai, the first Hong Kong athlete to ever win a Paralympic gold medal.