- An ethnic Canadian hockey player struggles against traditional family values and discrimination from mainstream hockey players.
- A hockey enthusiast since 12 years of age, Toronto-based Rajvinder Singh, even went to the extent of trimming his hair, discarding his Pagri/turban, did not complete his education, incurred the wrath of his father, Darvesh, who wanted him to be involved in the family business as well as confirm and respect Sikh religion principles and values. Hoping to play professional hockey, Rajvinder, along with other fellow Sikh players, instead finds himself treated as the object of ridicule, referred to as a 'joker', by mainstream Caucasian players. Even his friends tease him and ask him to take up 'Guli Danda' and Kabaddi', while his father makes him work for Uncle Sammy as a truck driver. He is attracted to stunning law student Melissa Winters while her brother, Dan, offers to coach Rajvinder and his team. Unable to get themselves included in any team, they form their own, and call it 'Speedy Singhs'. They then set about to make a name for themselves with a coach who is unable to pronounce their names, and assumes that they belong to the same family as all their last names are 'Singh'. The team, headed by Rajvinder, has an uphill task, challenging the reigning champions 'Hammerheads', while Rajvinder must counsel his school-going brother, Gurveer, who is being harassed for looking 'different', deal with family pressures - especially after Darvesh announces that his son has forsaken hockey once and for all.—rAjOo (gunwanti@hotmail.com)
- Twenty-something Rajveer Singh, a second generation Canadian of Sikh descent, still lives at home with his parents and his preteen brother Gurveer in Toronto despite Raj often being at loggerheads with his traditional father, Darvesh Singh. In acts of rebellion against that traditionalism, Raj recently dropped out of college and long ago cut his hair and stopped wearing a turban. Their disagreements of late have been of a more fundamental nature about life goals. Darvesh's view of the Canadian dream is to work hard at a conventional job to become wealthy, he seeing Raj some day take over Darvesh's younger brother Sammy Singh's multi-million dollar trucking business where both Darvesh and Raj work in the yard, something that would probably not sit well with Sammy's soon to be son-in-law Sonu, who talks and acts big. Raj's view of the Canadian dream is to do what makes you happy, which for him means hockey, from Darvesh's perspective a "white man" game. Among his Sikh friends with who he plays pickup, Raj is not only the only one with inherent talent but that takes the game seriously. And while Raj is arguably more talented than anyone on the Hammerheads, a team on which he aspires to be a player, they who play in the Hyundai Cup League just under the minor leagues, they only see him as a Sikh who has no business playing the game, period. In meeting Dan Winters, the maintenance man at the rink where they play and learning that he once was a major league player, albeit in only four games, Raj is not only able eventually to convince him to coach them, but Dan is able to convince them that pending his assessment that they should play in the Hyundai Cup League truly to test their mettle with the sport. Through Dan, Raj also meets Melissa Winters, Dan's younger sister who is currently living with him while she attends law school, Raj's other goal being for Melissa to fall for him. With these items in Raj's life, the question becomes if there is any way for Raj and Darvesh to see and understand the other's perspective truly to become family again.—Huggo
- Speedy Singhs is the story of Rajveer Singh (Vinay Virmani), a young and dedicated teenager who had to give up college half-way through due to his father, Darvesh Singh (Anupam Kher) who insisted on Rajveer leaving college for the family business (a transportation company in Canada). The company is owned by Rajveer's uncle (Darvesh's brother, who was sponsored to Canada by Darvesh) Satvinder "Sammy" (Gurpreet Ghuggi). Sammy's daughter Reena (Noureen DeWulf) is getting married in a month to Sonu (Russell Peters)
Rajveer and Darvesh had never gotten along, since the family is Sikh, due to a childhood incident (he was playing hockey and the white boys were just trying to knock the turban off his head), Rajveer has taken his turban off since a very small age. Rajveer still meets up with his Sikh friends, and when they get the time, they play hockey as a hobby. One day, while practicing hockey, a few white Canadian players (from the semi-professional hockey team called Hammerhead, who are 4 times winners at the Hyundai cup) insult the Singhs, and Rajveer and his friends beat the other players at hockey. Despite being the best player on ice, Rajveer is told that he would never be picked on the team anyways. Realizing how good they are, Rajveer decides to make a hockey team with his friends and compete at the semi-pro Hyundai cup.
His father completely disagrees with this (hockey is not a popular game and Darvesh also believes he will never get a chance to play in the pro leagues) and forbids him to ever play hockey again. Unwilling to take the sorrow, his friends convince him to join the team, and all together, they name their team, "Speedy Singhs". Rajveer takes the team to Sammy and gets him to sponsor it and they get a proper kit. Sonu is against investing, but when Sammy agrees, Sonu takes all the credit for investing in the team. Rajveer lies that he does not play on the team and his dad is really happy that he has finally come to his senses. Sammy knows Rajveer plays and keeps him off the travel schedules to support him.
They need to get into the championship to earn real fame, so using the help of Coach Dan Winters (Rob Lowe) (who is a janitor at the ice rink they practice in), they all start practicing day and night for the tournament (Dan arranges for a practice game with the Hammerheads and the Speedy Singhs are totally outplayed, which wakes them up that they need to work really hard). Whilst playing, Rajveer falls in love with Dan Winters' little sister, Melissa (Camilla Belle). The two love each other and keep on meeting. Rajveer lies to his family by telling them he is working extra at his job, but never has the courage to tell them that he plays in his own hockey team. Sonu knows that Rajveer is playing on the team and tries to sabotage it by putting him on driving trips on game days. Rajveer speaks to Sammy to fix it.
The tournament begins, and during the first match Rajveer is caught by Sonu playing. He promises not to tell Darvesh, and so goes on the tournament with Speedy Singhs. Rajveer lies to his father and says he is going to New York for a job delivery, though his father spots him playing Hockey at the stadium and being supported by Sammy and Sonu. The Singhs lose the first game and Rajveer criticizes the coaching calls made by Dan. Darvesh confronts Rajveer about lying to him, but Sammy and Sonu support Rajveer for pursuing his dream. The team starts winning and gets wildly popular among the Indian community in Toronto. Sonu warms up to Rajveer when he learns that he has no interest in taking over Sammy's business.
Rajveer starts a pub brawl when a random guy hits on Melissa. The team dives in and all of them are jailed. They eventually post bail, but Dan holds Rajveer responsible and kicks him off the team. The team wins the semifinal even without Rajveer. But the Hammerheads lodge a complaint that the Singhs are playing without a helmet and are hence flouting regulations. the team is reluctant to remove their turbans and thus the dream is over. Rajveer uses his savings and works with Melissa to design a new helmet for the team, that allows the Singhs to play the game within regulations, but also not removing their turban. Dan invites Rajveer back into the team.
Eventually, before the finals, at his sister's wedding, Rajveer comes up with a turban, and explains his passion about Hockey to his father. Darvesh is still angry but lets him go. Due to this, Rajveer isn't playing any well during the match (The Singhs are ahead 2-1, but they get complacent during the last few seconds and allow the hammerheads to equalize, which pushes the match into overtime), but when his family (including Darvesh) shows up to support him, he helps the team win by scoring first in overtime. He reconciles with his father Darvesh, and the Speedy Singhs become hockey superstars.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content