"Heartbreak," tweeted Shah Rukh Khan on Friday morning, after the women's hockey team lost 3-4 to Great Britain in the bronze medal match - a win would have marked the women's hockey team's first every medal at the Olympics. Giving a round of applause for the team's spirited performance, Shah Rukh added in his tweet: "But all reasons to hold our heads high. Well played Indian Women's Hockey Team. You all inspired everyone in India. That itself is a victory." Shah Rukh has been the loudest cheerleader for the women's hockey team since their entry into the first ever Olympic semi-finals. For those who need a refresher, Shah Rukh and hockey has a filmy connection - the superstar played the coach (Kabir Khan) of an underdog women's hockey team in 2007 sports drama Chak De! India. In the film, he coached the team to victory.
Here's what Shah Rukh Khan tweeted minutes after the women's hockey team went down fighting in bronze match:
Meanwhile, actress Sagarika Ghatge, who played the role of state champion Preeti Sabarwal playing for India in Chak De! India, lifted the women's hockey team's spirits in these words: "What a spectacular game. You girls are just unreal and to have the whole nation wake up and watch you play against Great Britain and fight hard is the biggest victory for all of us."
Actress Vidya Malavade, who played captain Vidya Sharma in Chak De! India, wrote: "You girls are unreal and India is so so proud of you. What a spectacular game you played! The medals are on their way for sure."
Earlier this month, the women's hockey team made history as they won their way to the Olympics semi-finals for the first time ever. An ecstatic Shah Rukh Khan, let's say the "ex-coach" of the reel version of the women's hockey team, had an interesting Twitter exchange with Sjoerd Marijne, the real life coach of the Indian women's hockey team. India's entry to the Olympics semi-finals was as thrilling as 2007 film Chak De! India's climax. In both the reel and real matches, Team India defeated Australia. Meanwhile, Team India's Gurjit Kaur converted a penalty corner to score the winning goal of the match, ensuring India's entry to the semi-finals, much like the film's final moments, which ended in a thrilling penalty shootout.
The women's hockey team may have lost their chance at their maiden Olympics medal but there spirited effort in the matches is surely a story of inspiration. Meanwhile on Thursday, Indian men's hockey team defeated Germany 5-4 to win bronze and end the country's 41-year wait of an Olympic medal in hockey - "Wow! Indian Men's Hockey Team Congratulations. Resilience and skill at its peak. What an exciting match," Shah Rukh Khan had tweeted.