Editing Buzkashi (section)

==In popular culture==
{{more citations needed section|date=January 2015}}

===In books and film adaptations===
Buzkashi is portrayed in several books, both fiction and non-fiction. It is shown in [[Steve Berry (novelist)|Steve Berry]]'s book ''[[The Venetian Betrayal]]''. Buzkashi was the subject of a book called ''Horsemen of Afghanistan'' by French photojournalists Roland and Sabrina Michaud. [[Gino Strada]] wrote a book named after the sport (with the spelling Buskashì) in which he tells about his life as surgeon in Kabul in the days after the [[September 11 attacks|9-11 strikes]]. P.J. O'Rourke also mentions the game in discussions about Afghanistan and Pakistan in the Foreign Policy section of ''[[Parliament of Whores]]'', and [[Rory Stewart]] devotes a few sentences to it in ''[[The Places in Between]]''.{{Citation needed|date=July 2012}}

Two books have been written about buzkashi which were later turned into films.  The game is the subject of a novel by French novelist [[Joseph Kessel]] titled ''Les Cavaliers'' (aka ''Horsemen''), which then became the basis of the film ''[[The Horsemen (1971 film)|The Horsemen]]'' (1971). The film was directed by [[John Frankenheimer]] with [[Omar Sharif]] in the lead role, and U.S. actor and accomplished horseman [[Jack Palance]] as his father, a legendary retired chapandaz. This film shows [[Afghanistan]] and its people the way they were before the wars that wracked the country, particularly their love for the sport of buzkashi.{{Citation needed|date=July 2012}}

The game is also a key element in the book ''[[Caravans (novel)|Caravans]]'' by [[James Michener]] and the [[Caravans (1978 film)|film of the same name]] (1978) starring [[Anthony Quinn]]. A scene from the film featuring the king of Afghanistan watching a game included the real-life king at the time, [[Mohammed Zahir Shah]]. The whole sequence of the game being witnessed by the king was filmed on the Kabul Golf Course, where the national championships were played at the time the film was made.{{Citation needed|date=July 2012}}

In [[Ken Follett]]'s book, ''[[Lie Down with Lions]]'' (1986), the game is mentioned being played, but instead of a goat, a live Russian soldier is used.

In ''[[The Kite Runner]]'' (2003) by [[Khaled Hosseini]], the protagonist, Amir returns to Afghanistan from the United States several years later, when the [[Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001)|Taliban has taken over the government]]. He attends a game of Buzkashi, in which the audience was forced by the Taliban authorities circling the stadium to remain silent during the match. During the break, a Taliban leader, who is later revealed to be Amir's childhood enemy Assef, brings prisoners convicted of breaking the [[Sharia law]] in the stadium to be [[Stoning|executed by stoning]]. The Taliban authorities, who were forcing the audience to be silent during the match, begin forcing everyone to cheer the stoning of the criminals.

===In film===
A number of films also reference the game. 
''[[:fr: La Passe du Diable|La Passe du Diable]]'', a French 1956 film by Jacques Dupont and Pierre Schoendoerfer, concerns Buzkashi players. ''[[The Horsemen (1971 film)|The Horsemen]]'' (1971) starring [[Jack Palance]] and [[Omar Sharif]] as father and son is centered on the game. Both ''La Passe du Diable'' and ''The Horseman'' are based on a novel by [[Joseph Kessel]]. 
In ''[[Rambo III]]'' (1988), directed by [[Peter MacDonald (film director)|Peter MacDonald]], [[John Rambo]] (played by [[Sylvester Stallone]]) was shown in a sequence playing and scoring in a buzkashi with his [[mujahideen]] friends when suddenly they were attacked by Soviet forces.  The [[Tom Selleck]] film ''[[High Road to China (film)|High Road to China]]'' (1983) features a spirited game of buzkashi. Buzkashi is described at length in Episode 2, "The Harvest of the Seasons", of the documentary ''[[The Ascent of Man]]'' by [[Jacob Bronowski]]. It is put in the context of the [[domestication of the horse]] and the effect of [[Nomadic empire|nomadic warbands and raiders]] on agricultural settlements. The film includes several scenes from a game in Afghanistan. The opening scenes of the Indian film ''[[Khuda Gawah]]'' (1992), which was filmed in [[Afghanistan]] and [[India]], show actors [[Amitabh Bachchan]] and [[Sridevi]] engaged in the game. The game also shown in other Indian films like ''[[Kabul Express]]'' (2006) and [[Sahasam (2013 film)|''Sahasam'']] (2013).

The 2012 joint international-Afghan short film ''[[Buzkashi Boys]]'' depicts a fictional story centered on the game, and has won awards at several international film festivals.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/11/14349378-beyond-the-bombs-afghanistans-toughest-sport-also-source-of-hope |title=Beyond the bombs: Afghanistan's toughest sport also source of hope – World News |publisher=Worldnews.nbcnews.com |access-date=2013-06-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130531011727/http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/11/14349378-beyond-the-bombs-afghanistans-toughest-sport-also-source-of-hope |archive-date=2013-05-31 |url-status=live }}</ref>
On January 10, 2013, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominated ''Buzkashi Boys'' for an Oscar in the category of Short Film (Live Action) for the [[85th Academy Awards]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/85/nominees.html |title=Nominees for the 85th Academy Awards &#124; Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences |publisher=Oscars.org |date=2012-08-24 |access-date=2013-06-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053814/http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/85/nominees.html |archive-date=2013-09-21 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Venerated Buzkashi (ulak tartysh in Kyrgyz) player, 82 year old veteran school teacher Khamid Boronov stars in 2016 feature documentary film ''[https://www.facebook.com/lettersfromthepamirs/ Letters from the Pamirs]'' by Janyl Jusupjan. Famed Buzkashi players of Jaylgan village Shamsidin and Kazyke appear in a sequence to show the elements of Buzkashi to kids from a town. A spirited Buzkashi match is one of the last episodes of the film made in Jerge-Tal Kyrgyz region in Tajikistan's north.