Debjani Ghosh documents the rise of Sasthi Duley, one of the most low-profile footballers on the Maidan, whose life is almost an encore of Moti Nandy's Striker, but for the end.
Football was his dream, - his passion. A dream he nourished in his mind. But his dream didn't come true. Because he had to sell off his kidney, which would help his father collect the dowry money for his younger sister's marriage. The young guy's love for football was lost forever to the battle of life. This was the tragic end of a budding footballer - the central protagonist of Moti Nandy's Striker.
But sometimes similar battles are won.And Sasthi Duley's life is one of them. The key footballer of Tollygunge Agragami Club had a very sad past.
Sasthi's father - a wage-earner in DVC - committed suicide out of desperation, because one day he failed to bring back food for his family. Sasthi was just two year old then. Sasthi, who was engaged in playing with his friends, came back home to see his father hanging from the ceiling. It was a terrible scene for the two year old.
And from here, started a new story. A story of struggle for existence, a story of love for football and the start of a dream - to become a footballer.
Sasthi and his family stayed in a remote village called Haripal. Sasthi didn't go to school regularly. Because he had to earn money for his family, everyday, day after day. The other members of his family did the same too. Sasthi basically did the job of a day labourer. But he was very passionate about football. So whenever he got time, he played football.
As a result, most of the time he had to bear the brunt from his employers. But he didn't give up football. The treatment he received from his employers, who naturally valued their work more than Sasthi's passion, inspired him more to be a footballer.
His talent was first spotted by athlete coach Shibu Dhara. He helped him a lot. Sasthi practiced under his guidance and Dhara bore his tiffin cost. Sasthi is still grateful to this man. "I am really grateful to Shibuda. I really don't know why he did so much for me!"
When he was 15 years old, his elder brother, who was also fond of football, brought him to Sudhir Karmakar's football camp. He had to struggle a lot at the Kolkata Maidan too. Though he had all the qualities of a potential footballer, his background, or a lack of it, went against him. "Actually I have no 'dada' in the Maidan and I don't want to have one. Because I always want it that people will know me only as a footballer."
Twice he got calls for trials in the U-16 and U-19 Bengal team. Once he was told that he was over-aged and another time he was under aged.
He joined Md. Sporting in their '94-'95 team, which was his first big break. It was the first time that he earned as big an amount as Rs. 2000. Next season he joined Mohun Bagan, and spent the whole season sitting on the sideline. After that, Tollygunge Agragami picked him up. Slowly he became the key footballer of the team.
Tolly's coach Amal Dutta started depending on him. Ironically,Amal Dutta was with Mohun Bagan for Sasthi's Mohun Bagan season. Sasthi recalls, "Actually in a big club, the club officials pressurise the coach to form a team with heavy names. There are other considerations also. Since I have nobody to push me, I had to sit at the side-line. The other problem is I can't speak for myself. So I cannot protest. When I was eliminated from the team, I just cried. On the field, my game is my protest.
Off it, I am without any weapon. I know it, but I actually don't bother. "Amal Dutta is the best coach he has come across. "He has a very good sense of football. He can form the team according to its capacity. He is a good strategist too. I think he should get the responsibility of the Indian team." Recently he got call from the national camp, but his club officials denied to release him. Sasthi didn't get angry with it, moreover he tried to understand the problems.
"Small clubs form their teams with a very low budget. So without two-three players, they have to face problems. And Tollygunge has given me both fame and money. I can't leave the club which brought me to the limelight, simply because I get a call from the national camp. And no, there's no fish in all this," he emphasises. That's Sasthi Duley for you. From dust to glory, just with the football.