Producer Naga Vamsi thinks Joseph Kosinski’s ‘F1’ echoes ‘Jersey’

Is Joseph Kosinski directorial F1 similar to Telugu movie Jersey? Naga Vamsi seems to think so.

In a recent interview with Gulte, Vamsi drew parallels between both films, particularly how the film wraps up. Acknowledging the bizarreness of the comparison, he said, “I know this will turn into a controversy, and the audience might troll me. I liked F1 movie a lot. But towards the end of the film, it reminded me of Jersey. Will he go to the race or not? The medical condition. Everything reminded me of it towards the end.”

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Vamsi said he is aware that a Hollywood film would not be ripping off from a South Indian production, but could not help but find similarities in the “underdog” story. “I don’t think an English film would copy from us, but F1 is a lot like a Telugu film, be it the moments or the highs. There’s no kick in sports films unless an underdog wins. But they took a different backdrop and presented the story technically well, which is why everyone liked the film. I am not saying they copied from our film (laughs), but that’s just how I felt,” he said.

Jersey, bankrolled by Vamsi, follows the story of a failed cricketer who returns to the bat and ball game in his late thirties in order to fulfil his desire to play for the Indian cricket team. Directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri, the film stars Nani and Shraddha Srinath. The film was highly lauded and secured many awards including Best Feature Film – Telugu at the National Film Awards.

The film was such a major success, a Hindi remake starring Shahid Kapoor as the lead was released in 2022.

ALSO READ | Jersey review: Shahid Kapoor's remake lacks the dynamism of the original

F1 follows retired racer Sonny Hayes, who is asked to team up with and mentor hotheaded rookie driver Joshua Pearce for the APXGP F1 team—struggling at the bottom of the championship with three point-less seasons. The seasoned Haynes and spirited Pearce navigate their rocky relationship while aiming to help their team stay afloat amid the looming threat of their team being bought off. The film features Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem, and Tobias Menzies.

At a quick glance, both film do have a similar narrative skeleton. A talented but failed and ageing sportsman returns to the sport they love after years to fulfil their desire.  

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