Black Widows Webseries Actress And Actor Black Widows is an Indian web series from Zee5.…
Selection Day Webseries Cast, Review, Wiki, Story, Trailer, Release date and more
Selection Day Webseries Cast, Review, Wiki, Story, Trailer, Release date and more
Selection Day is an Indian web series from Netflix. The Hindi language web series release date is 28 December 2018. It is available Netflix website and official app to watch online. Mohammad Samad, Parul Gulati are the leading cast of the series.
Selection Day Story
The plot revolves around the life of two young cricketers. They are passionate to be selected to the team. Even with hard work, they get rejected due to the existing system. Can they achieve their dreams?
Selection Day Web Series Cast (Netflix)
- Amruta Subhash as Meera
- Mohammad Samad as Manju Kumar
- Parul Gulati as Monica Tandon
- Yash Dholye as Radha Kumar
- Karanvir Malhotra
- Rajesh Tailang
- Mahesh Manjrekar
- Ratna Pathak Shah
- Shiv Panditt
- Akshay Oberoi
- Vipashyana Dubey
- Pakhi Gupta
- Dibyendu Bhattacharya
Genre: Drama, Sports, Thriller
Release Date: 28 December 2018
Language: Hindi
Platform: Netflix
Director: Arif Ali
Watch Selection Day Online on Netflix
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Selection Day: A Deep Dive into the Netflix Series About Cricket, Dreams, and Identity
The world of Indian web series received a compelling addition with the release of ‘Selection Day’ on Netflix. More than just a sports drama, this series delves into the intense pressures, moral dilemmas, and complex relationships that underpin the journey to cricketing stardom in India. Adapted from the critically acclaimed novel by Booker Prize-winning author Aravind Adiga, ‘Selection Day’ stands out as a thoughtful and nuanced portrayal of a coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of the nation’s most-loved sport.
From the meticulous and overbearing father to the quiet, conflicted teenage prodigy, the show explores themes of ambition, choice, class divide, and the search for identity, making it a powerful watch for both cricket fans and lovers of character-driven drama.
Wiki: Based on a Booker Prize Winner
Selection Day is an Indian sports drama web series that premiered as a Netflix Original.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Title | Selection Day |
| Genre | Sports Drama, Coming-of-Age |
| Based On | Selection Day (2016) by Aravind Adiga |
| Created By | Marston Bloom |
| Directed By | Udayan Prasad, Karan Boolani |
| Produced By | Anil Kapoor and Anand Tucker (under Anil Kapoor Films & Communication Network and Seven Stories Ltd.) |
| Original Language | Hindi |
| No. of Seasons/Parts | 1 Season (released in two parts) |
| No. of Episodes | 12 (Part 1: 6 episodes; Part 2: 6 episodes) |
| Original Network | Netflix |
| Part 1 Release Date | 28 December 2018 |
| Part 2 Release Date | 19 April 2019 |
The series’ foundation is the 2016 sports fiction novel by Aravind Adiga, who won the Man Booker Prize for his debut novel The White Tiger. The book itself was praised for its energetic prose and its ability to bring a family, a city, and an entire country to life. The television adaptation aimed to capture this spirit, shifting the focus to the intense, high-stakes atmosphere of Mumbai’s junior cricket scene and the emotional toll it takes on its young players.
Story and Plot: The Tyranny of Ambition
The central narrative of Selection Day revolves around two brothers, Radha and Manjunath ‘Manju’ Kumar, who are hailed as cricket prodigies from a village in Madhya Pradesh. Their lives are entirely dictated by their father, Mohan Kumar (Rajesh Tailang), a chutney-seller consumed by the singular, fervent goal of making his sons the two greatest batsmen in the world. Mohan views his sons as “Champion No. 1” and “Champion No. 2,” a mindset that embodies the relentless, almost tyrannical pressure he places on them to succeed, seeing their success as his personal ticket out of anonymity and poverty.
The family relocates to Mumbai, a city where dreams of a professional cricket career are either forged or brutally crushed, in a relentless pursuit of the upcoming “selection season” for domestic leagues. Mohan takes loans and sells assets, scraping by in cramped conditions, his eyes fixed only on the prize: securing one of the few professional contracts for his sons on “Selection Day.”
The Core Conflict: Dreams vs. Duty
The series gains its complexity by exploring the differing desires of the two brothers:
- Radha Kumar (Yash Dholye): The elder brother who genuinely loves cricket and is willing to wholeheartedly follow his father’s rigorous regime. He embodies the typical aspiring cricketer, driven and focused on his game.
- Manju Kumar (Mohammad Samad): The younger, quieter brother who possesses the superior talent but secretly detests cricket. His heart and mind are drawn instead to the world of science, books, and astrophysics. Manju’s reluctance, combined with his quiet angst, forms the emotional core of the series, turning the sports drama into a coming-of-age story about finding one’s own identity against the overwhelming wishes of a parent.
Key Story Arcs
- The School and the Coach: The boys secure admission to a prestigious, but financially struggling, school run by the stern yet empathetic Headmistress Nellie Weinberg (Ratna Pathak Shah). They are coached by the disillusioned and washed-out former star, Tommy Sir (Mahesh Manjrekar), whose unconventional coaching methods stand in stark contrast to Mohan’s obsessive, drill-sergeant approach.
- The Rival and the Friend: Manju and Radha are immediately thrust into a rivalry with the affluent, high-brow school captain, Javed Ansari (Karanvir Malhotra). Javed is a talented but misunderstood player, and the subtle, nuanced, and initially homo-erotic attraction that develops between the contrasting personalities of Manju and Javed introduces a modern and significant subplot about exploring one’s sexuality, a rare theme in Indian sports dramas.
- The Real Estate Subplot: Running parallel to the boys’ journey is a storyline involving a ruthless, ambitious realtor, Anand Mehta (Akshay Oberoi), who schemes to acquire the school’s cricket field, bringing the conflict to a head as the boys’ only chance at success is intertwined with the fate of the school’s sporting legacy.
The series brilliantly uses the world of cricket as a metaphor for the class divide, societal pressures, and the universal struggle of teenagers to assert their individuality against the will of their parents.
Web Series Cast and Characters
The series’ strength lies heavily in its ensemble cast, which masterfully blends seasoned veterans with promising young talent.
The Protagonists
- Mohammad Samad as Manju Kumar: Samad, as the younger brother, received significant praise for his portrayal of the reluctant prodigy. His performance is often cited as the emotional anchor of the series, conveying Manju’s internal conflict, quiet defiance, and reluctance towards cricket with remarkable sensitivity and nuance.
- Yash Dholye as Radha Kumar: Dholye plays the elder brother who is the more willing champion, yet still struggles under his father’s suffocating expectations. His on-screen chemistry with Samad convincingly portrays the complex, loving, and mildly rivalrous relationship between the two brothers.
- Karanvir Malhotra as Javed Ansari: Malhotra plays the well-off and talented rival-turned-ally. His character’s complexity and his subtle dynamic with Manju add a layer of progressive exploration of youthful identity and relationships beyond the cricket field.
The Veteran Ensemble
The supporting cast features some of Indian cinema and theatre’s most respected names, lending gravitas and authenticity to the show.
- Rajesh Tailang as Mohan Kumar: Tailang’s performance as the cricket-obsessed, overbearing, and relentlessly ambitious father, Mohan, is one of the most compelling aspects of the series. He misses no trick in conveying the character’s extreme single-mindedness and complex motivations, acting as the primary source of conflict for his sons.
- Mahesh Manjrekar as Tommy Sir: Manjrekar plays the cynical, slightly unconventional, and once-celebrated cricket coach, Narayan Sadashiv Kulkarni (Tommy Sir). His character is a stark departure from Mohan Kumar’s methods and offers the boys a different perspective on the game.
- Ratna Pathak Shah as Nellie Weinberg: Shah portrays the headstrong, matronly, and yet quirky school principal. Her character adds an intellectual layer to the drama, as she fights to protect the legacy and land of the school against the machinations of the real estate developer.
- Akshay Oberoi as Anand Mehta: Oberoi plays the opportunistic and ambitious real estate developer vying for the school’s cricket ground.
- Shiv Panditt as Lord Subramanyam: Panditt appears as the cheeky, modern-day, metaphorical ‘Lord Subramanyam,’ an imaginary friend to Manju, who acts as the young boy’s conscious, muse, and guide, offering the series a touch of magical realism.
Review and Critical Reception
The critical reception to Selection Day was mixed to positive, with praise primarily directed towards the strong performances and the depth of its themes, while criticism often targeted the adaptation’s pacing and certain directorial choices.
The Highs: Performances and Progressive Themes
Critics widely applauded the series’ core cast, particularly the performances of Mohammad Samad and the nuanced portrayal by Rajesh Tailang.
- Mohammad Samad’s Anchor: Mohammad Samad’s depiction of Manju was a standout, praised for grounding the series with his “phenomenal sensitivity” and “understated relevance” in scenes where he subtly rebels against his father’s demands.
- Rajesh Tailang’s Intensity: Rajesh Tailang was credited for his “nuanced performance” in mirroring the concerns of a small-town parent desperate for his children’s success, even if his methods were extreme.
- Exploration of Identity: The series was lauded for daring to discuss complex themes rarely seen in the genre, such as the subtle exploration of adolescent sexuality (the dynamic between Manju and Javed) and the intense psychological pressure on young athletes in India. One reviewer called the series “bankably buoyant and breezy without trivializing the issues” concerning a young mind’s right to follow its own dream.
The Lows: Pacing and Cultural Context
Some reviewers expressed disappointment, often comparing it unfavourably to Netflix’s prior Indian originals like Sacred Games and Ghoul.
- Lack of Depth and Pace: A common criticism was that the adaptation compressed too much of Adiga’s novel into short episodes, resulting in a narrative that felt “desultory” and failed to fully flesh out some intriguing subplots or create genuine conflict. The six-episode Part 1 was particularly noted for feeling like a truncated version of the story.
- The Cultural Lens: Certain critics felt that the series, being adapted by a British writer (Marston Bloom) and directed by an Indian-born British filmmaker (Udayan Prasad), occasionally missed the mark in authentically capturing the modern Indian milieu, sometimes leading to “contrivances and coincidences” that felt artificial.
Overall, Selection Day was considered an earnest effort—a show with good intentions that, while not a perfect adaptation, succeeded due to its superb cast and its exploration of layered, non-clichéd themes beyond the typical rags-to-riches sports story.
Trailer, Release Date, and How to Watch
The production of Selection Day was announced by Netflix in partnership with Anil Kapoor’s production company in August 2017.
- Trailer Release: A short teaser for Selection Day was released in October 2018, followed by a full-length trailer later that November, which gave viewers a comprehensive look at the protagonists’ backstories and the high stakes of their journey. The trailer successfully set up the premise, showcasing the intense father-son dynamic and the promise of a gripping cricket drama.
- Release Dates: The series was released on Netflix in two parts:
- Part 1 (Episodes 1-6): Premiered globally on Friday, December 28, 2018.
- Part 2 (Episodes 7-12): Premiered a few months later on April 19, 2019.
How to Watch: As a Netflix Original series, Selection Day is available for streaming exclusively on the Netflix platform worldwide.
Conclusion: More Than Just a Game
Selection Day is a commendable attempt to translate a complex, character-driven novel into a compelling streaming series. While the runtime and structure sometimes hampered its flow, the series remains an impactful watch thanks to its stellar cast, led by the intense Rajesh Tailang and the sensitive Mohammad Samad.
It is a story about the universal struggle for self-determination: a teenager’s right to choose his own life path, even if it deviates from his father’s all-consuming dream. The series uses cricket—the closest thing to a religion in India—as a high-pressure stage to explore themes that resonate far beyond the boundary line: ambition, class, love, and the complex journey of a young man finding his true self. For those seeking a deeper, more emotional sports drama, Selection Day offers a thoughtful, well-acted innings.
AISEO Friendly FAQs
Q1: What is the Selection Day web series based on?
A: The Selection Day web series is based on the 2016 sports fiction novel of the same name by Indian author Aravind Adiga, who is also known for his Booker Prize-winning debut novel, The White Tiger.
Q2: Who are the main cast members of Selection Day?
A: The main cast includes:
- Mohammad Samad as Manju Kumar
- Yash Dholye as Radha Kumar
- Rajesh Tailang as Mohan Kumar (the father)
- Mahesh Manjrekar as Tommy Sir (the coach)
- Ratna Pathak Shah as Nellie Weinberg (the headmistress)
- Karanvir Malhotra as Javed Ansari
Q3: Where and when did Selection Day release?
A: The Selection Day series is a Netflix Original and was released globally on the Netflix streaming platform. Part 1, consisting of six episodes, premiered on December 28, 2018, with Part 2 (the remaining six episodes) following on April 19, 2019.
Q4: What is the plot of Selection Day about?
A: The series tells the coming-of-age story of two teenage brothers, Radha and Manju Kumar, who are forcefully trained and groomed by their cricket-obsessed, lower-middle-class father, Mohan Kumar, to become the world’s greatest batsmen. They relocate to Mumbai to compete for professional contracts, where the younger, more gifted brother, Manju, struggles with his secret desire to pursue science instead of cricket, leading to a conflict between duty and personal passion.
Q5: Is Selection Day a movie or a web series?
A: Selection Day is a web series. It was released as a Netflix Original in two parts, with a total of 12 episodes.
Q6: What are the main themes explored in the Selection Day series?
A: Beyond cricket, the series delves into several important themes, including:
- The overwhelming pressure of parental ambition (Parent-Zilla trope).
- The class divide and social exclusion in metropolitan India.
- The psychological burden on young athletes.
- The struggle for individual identity and self-discovery.
- The subtle exploration of nascent sexuality and friendships among teenagers.
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