The recently released Bollywood movie Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (2024), featuring Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff, references popular mobile games PUBG Mobile and FAU-G. Kumar’s character in the film even labels Shroff’s character a “deshdrohi” (“traitor of the nation” in Hindi) for playing a “Chinese game.”
Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (2024) Refers to Popular Mobile Games
The action-thriller, written and directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, follows two former soldiers returned to duty to thwart a vengeful mad scientist’s attack on India. In a scene early in the film, Kumar’s character, Captain Firoz “Freddy,” scolds Shroff’s character for playing PUBG. “I play PUBG,” Shroff’s character says. “Chinese game. You traitor. Play FAU-G,” responds Kumar’s character, Freddy.
You can watch the scene below, shared by nCore Games co-founder Vishal Gondal, who seems pleased with the game’s mention in the film:
Step up your game, become a player for Bharat! 🇮🇳
Thanks @akshaykumar @iTIGERSHROFF
It’s time for made-in-India games, more so now than ever with PM @narendramodi boosting India’s gaming talentFAU-G: Domination, loading…..
#JaiHind #BadeMiyanChoteMiyan@nCore_games… pic.twitter.com/lbnbaU6fOa
— Vishal Gondal (@vishalgondal) April 13, 2024
Vishal Gondal Responds
Gondal sent the following statement to IGN regarding the scene:
“Regarding the mention of FAU-G and PUBG in the film Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, there is no formal association between our game FAU-G and the film’s production. The references to FAU-G and the depiction of PUBG as a Chinese game in the movie reflect the broader cultural discourse in India, especially following the events at Galwan Valley. These elements have naturally become woven into the social fabric of our nation, resonating with the sentiments of many Indian gamers.
The inclusion in the film is a testament to the immense love and high expectations that gamers across the country have shown towards FAU-G. We are grateful to Akshay Kumar and the entire team of BMCM for their acknowledgment, which highlights the game’s impact and reach.
We are also thrilled that later this year, we will be launching FAU-G: Domination, a new 5v5 version of the game. This expansion promises to enhance the gaming experience for our community, providing new ways for players to engage and compete with one another. We look forward to the continued support and enthusiasm from our players as we bring this exciting new format to life.”
Dot9 Games, the team currently working on FAU-G: Domination redirected us to Gondal’s post on X/Twitter. IGN India has also contacted Krafton India, the Indian division of the publisher of PUBG across the globe for comment.
FAU-G, or Fearless and United Guards, developed by nCore Games and released in January 2021, aimed to rival PUBG Mobile as an Indian-made alternative after it got banned in India. Akshay Kumar served as the game’s brand ambassador and was involved in its development. However, FAU-G couldn’t meet expectations of players, and was negatively received by mobile gamers.
Bade Miyan Chote Miyan draws heavily from video game aesthetics, particularly Assassin’s Creed and Call of Duty. Check out the film’s trailer below:
The film, released on April 11, 2024, is getting panned by critics. India Today’s review remarks, “Amid all the Assassin’s Creed angles and looks, and video game-style shots, the jarring illogical part just stands out. Some parts do stand out, but that’s about it.”
Even more amusing, as noted in a review by OTTPlay, the scene featuring the PUBG conversation is set in 2015-16, when the game didn’t exist, and FAU-G, inspired by PUBG, was yet to be conceived.
Dot9 Games previously worked on Ram Setu: The Run, a Temple Run-inspired mobile game based on the 2022 Bollywood movie Ram Setu starring Akshay Kumar. As mentioned above, the team is currently developing the shooter game FAU-G Domination. This game is expected to be quite different from its predecessor, FAU-G which focused solely on melee combat.
However, the team advises players to keep their expectations modest and avoid comparing the Indian-made game to high-budget international titles with multi-million-dollar budgets.
Got any news tips, or want to discuss a possible story? Email us at [email protected]
Rayan Sayyed is a staff writer for IGN India with a primary focus on Asian entertainment spanning from anime, manga, games to films and dramas from the East. You can reach out to him at [email protected], or find him on Twitter @rayanaver and Instagram @rayansayyed.
