Filmmaker Shubhangi Shekhar makes her feature directorial debut with ‘Hoop Like This,’ a documentary exploring the journey of the first professional Indian basketball team.
LOS ANGELES, CA – Filmmaker Shubhangi Shekhar is set to make her feature directorial debut with the documentary ‘Hoop Like This.’ This film delves into the story of the world’s first professional Indian basketball team, with Grammy-nominated musician Nav serving as executive producer.
The documentary features notable personalities, including NBA champion Jeremy Lin, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania, and actor Utkarsh Ambudkar. It also showcases appearances from Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé, ESPN SportsCenter anchor Kevin Negandhi, and comedian Nimesh Patel.
‘Hoop Like This’ follows the Brown Ballers, a 12-member team formed to participate in ESPN’s $1 million tournament, The Basketball Tournament (TBT). The players, who hail from the Indian diaspora, balance their professional careers in fields such as medicine, engineering, and business while competing at a high level.
The film traces the team’s journey from its debut in 2022, where they faced a loss to the defending champions, to a global scouting effort that spanned India, Taiwan, Canada, and the United States. The narrative culminates in a remarkable 2023 run, which includes a first-round victory that is recorded as the biggest upset in the tournament’s history.
In addition to the team’s triumphs, the documentary highlights the challenges faced by athletes of Indian origin, particularly the restrictions on dual citizenship that have limited their eligibility to represent India in international sports.
“I realized that our community doesn’t need to look to fiction for heroes,” Shekhar stated. “They exist in real life, right in front of us. It’s our responsibility to pay attention and tell their stories.”
Nav expressed his motivation for involvement in the project, emphasizing the importance of representation and his personal connection to basketball. “I’ve been a big hoops fan since I was a kid, and our community has long been underrepresented at a national level,” he said. “Given where I am at now in my career, it felt like the perfect time to champion a story like this.”
The team effort behind the documentary is led by Gautam Kapur, a former NBA employee who aimed to unite Indian-origin players from around the globe to compete in the tournament.
Shekhar co-produces the film alongside Kunal Patel, Pulkit Datta, Zach Galst, Tony Castle, and Roxy Hunt. Executive producers include Kapur and Akhil Hegde of HRTGE, along with Nav. The UTA Independent Film Group is handling worldwide sales for the documentary.
‘Hoop Like This’ is set to premiere in May at several film festivals, including the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, CAAMFest in San Francisco, and the Asian American Showcase in Chicago.
According to India-West, the film aims to shine a light on the inspiring stories of athletes from the Indian community, showcasing their dedication and resilience in the face of adversity.