Leg Before Wicket :: The film and its mission

The film and its mission

“When the British finally left the Indian subcontinent in 1947, the country then known as India split into two.... India and Pakistan.

Fifty years, four wars, and a million deaths later, our two countries
remained locked in one of the most dangerous conflicts in the world...”

So begins Leg Before Wicket, a story about the bitter conflict between two nations and about the common passion that is promising to build a bridge between them. It is also the story of the Chicago Giants, a team of raucous Indian and Pakistani cricketers, who have, in a foreign land, overcome a lifetime of distrust to find friendship on the cricket ground.

The film follows the Giants through a summer of cricket, and makes a journey to India and Pakistan – including the disputed region of Kashmir – to explore the roots of the conflict, its many manifestations over the decades, and the recent phenomenon known as "cricket diplomacy".

And it answers one of life's more perplexing questions: What is cricket, anyway?

The mission of this project is three-fold: first, to remind us that there is hope for peace; second, to raise funds for organizations working to end the conflict and to help those impacted; and finally in keeping with the film's part-American-part-"Desi" theme, to support US-based organizations that help South Asian immigrants in need.

100% of the primary film-maker's proceeds will be donated to the following charities in equal share:

The Citizens Foundation, A US-based organization dedicated to building an educational infrastructure in Pakistan. Since 1995, they have built over 450 schools all over Pakistan, with a total enrollment of 55,000 students. In an effort to promote womens rights in Pakistan, all 3,000 of the schools' instructors and 50% of the students are female.
Apna Ghar, a Chicago-based domestic violence shelter serving South Asian women and children. Since its inception in 1990, Apna Ghar has served over 5,000 victims of domestic violence.
The Jammu & Kashmir Coalition of Civil Societies, an Indian non-governmental organization dedicated to human rights in the troubled region of Kashmir. The organization and its leaders have received several prestigious international awards, including the Reebok Human Rights Award in 2006 and recognition by Front Line.
The Rural Support Programmes Network, a Pakistan-based non-governmental organization that provides frontline support to women and the rural poor in Pakistan. In recognition of its impact, RSPN receives financial support from a wide range of donors including The World Bank, USAID and the International Youth Foundation.

Please contact Shashi Buluswar (shashi@legbeforewicket.org) if you have any questions or comments.