Packing a good punch

Johnson Thomas    

Chak De India set a precedent for the unheralded mainstream sports movie and there have been quite a few wannabes trying unsuccessfully to raise the bar on that, save for ‘Paan Singh Tomar’ and ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.’

‘Saala Khadoos’ also titled ‘Irudu Sutru’ in its Tamil version, aims to strike a Chak De momentum for the sport of women’s boxing. Supported by Raj Kumar Hirani Films and co-produced by Madhavan, this medium budget venture also displays smart economical casting. The story is basically about a former talented boxer Adi Tomar (Madhavan) who is forced to quit the sport because of fitness affecting chicanery by a fellow competitor, now turned sports administrator (Zakir Hussain). And that nemesis follows him around, striking at him whenever the opportunity arises, even when he is in his new avatar as coach.

So, off he gets transferred to Chennai just when he begins to settle down in his role as coach in one of the North-east boxing associations. Adi takes off to Chennai and finds that the team there is mediocre.

So, he sets out looking for a challenge and finds it in one of the favoured boxing protégé, Laxmi’s sister, Madhi (Ritika Singh). She’s a fisherwoman who is fast with her tongue and fists. And Adi somehow sees promise in her. In order to get her in for training on a regular basis, he invests Rs 500 per day as lure. While Madhi is eager for the money and just as eager to reap the benefits of becoming a top notch boxer.

There’s no real confirmation of her talent in her performances thereafter but Adi sticks with his decision and after a few U-turns on Madhi’s part, they get back on track to establishing her credentials as a world beater. But Adi’s nemesis is in no mood to see him corner the glory and contrives a set-up where Adi would be banished from coaching for life threatened with a dope tarnishing of his ward’s reputation and future prospects. Whether this could happen in real life in between an ongoing world championships is questionable. Anyway, needless to say, it ends well with Madhi making it to the podium garnering gold and glory for her country.

There’s a raw energy to the camerawork and performances, guileless movements and awkward break away dances add to that overall grit and glory dynamic of the narration. Performances are solid and make it look gritty and realistic.  Dialogues are also realism driven. Ritika Singh is a good addition to the Bollywood spectrum driven by plasticity. Her raw talent will go a long way in inspiring mainstream filmmakers to tend to realism, i.e if this film succeeds of course. And why not? This film is sure to do reasonably well considering it’s not a lavish overspend like other Bollywood white elephants.