Saaj Raja on ‘A Game of Two Halves’

Following its World Premiere at the prestigious UK Asian Film Festival, the highly anticipated Indo-British sports drama, A Game of Two Halves, is set to make its global debut in 2024. Directed by acclaimed British Asian filmmaker Khayam Khan, known for his work on Bus Ride, the film will be released in UK cinemas on 7th June. A Game of Two Halves is a transformative, coming-of-age story that explores themes of identity crisis and racial dissonance.

Set across the U.K. and India, the film follows the journey of Sanjay, a young British student.

When Sanjay finds himself in India teaching football to underprivileged children, he is unaware of the profound journey of self-discovery he is about to embark on. His true self is revealed not amidst the academic pressures of a prestigious university, but on the dusty fields of Hyderabad, India. We had the opportunity to ask Saaj Raja a few questions; Two things immediately drew me to the role; the fact it’s a coming-of-age story about Sanjay discovering his identity and roots.

Also, it’s a film about football which I absolutely love and have grown up with. A lot of the ‘prep’ was inherently present in my childhood and teenage experiences as a 1st generation, British South Asian male trying to fit in and find his place. I had to journey through this experience and find the synergies with Sanjay.

I also spent time in conversation with Khayam about his own past experiences which were similar. It was my first time in Hyderabad –.