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Indian football doesn’t feel like one story, it feels like thousands of local ones happening at once. That’s why we sat down with Johnson Kanjrethingal, founder of Sportfolio Productions, to trace the game where it actually lives: in schools, village tournaments, crowded stands, and communities that keep playing even when the system makes it hard. If you’ve ever wondered what “football culture in India” really means beyond highlights and hot takes, this conversation gives you a vivid, on-the-ground answer.

We dig into Sportfolio’s documentary series Traveller’s Guide to Indian Football, filmed over nearly two years across multiple states. Johnson breaks down what makes each place distinct: Kolkata’s deep identity and history, Punjab’s athlete-first mindset and academy pipeline, Hyderabad’s fading heritage that still refuses to disappear, Kashmir’s football as escape and opportunity, and Sikkim’s festival-like tournaments plus a rare look at Baichung Bhutia’s journey. One of the most memorable moments comes from a plan that fell apart and turned into the purest footage they captured: a group of 40+ mums in Sikkim training for an Independence Day final created so they could have fun and compete.

We also get straight into the difficult questions around the Indian football ecosystem: the confusing pyramid, league uncertainty, sponsorship hesitation, and the leadership vacuum that leaves clubs, federation, and commercial partners pulling in different directions. Johnson shares why youth wins like Minerva Academy’s international results matter, but also why the real test is converting talent into senior success. If you care about grassroots football, Indian football documentaries, football sponsorship in India, and what it will actually take to build a sustainable future, you’ll leave with sharper context and more hope than you expect.

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