Alappuzha Gymkhana: High spirits make Khalid Rahman’s boxing film a fun, engaging watch
Failure, established at the beginning of a film as something that happens to a lot of people and is not the end of everything, can be calming for your nerves. It can also seem enticing, having already tossed away the formulaic approach of putting the protagonists on a pedestal, painting them as people who can’t lose. Alappuzha Gymkhana turns the table around, introducing you to the lives of a few young men who are stamped ‘failed’ but shake it off like specks of dust over and over again. Calling the film a comforting, engaging joyride can seem ironic, given that director Khalid Rahman has placed it in the thick of a boxing ring. But that is exactly what it becomes. A young cast led by Naslen, even as they play mostly typical teenagers driven by spirit, win hearts by simply staying in character. They sit around a table, drinking to their class 12 results, as most of them fail to make it. The camaraderie, thankfully, is not spelled out by an annoying voiceover or made a deal of with a song and dance. Conversations, reckless acts, and an incorrigible pull for trouble keep them close. Innocence spills out of thoughtless behaviour, even as there is no attempt to cover up the sneaky, annoyingly curious ways of coming-of-age. The writing by Khalid, Ratheesh Ravi, and Sreeni Saseendran makes it a relatable outpour. Jojo (Naslen) suggests that the gang, fresh after their Class 12 failure, try boxing to gain some grace marks and enter college in the sports quota. They join at the gymkhana to train, where Kottayam Nazeer plays a fun version of the unamused Kungfu master in Karate Kid. Laughs are easily evoked. Lukman, an actor who mostly grew through Khalid Rahman’s films, appears as the tough, younger coach. Like Khalid’s films, Lukman’s roles bear little semblance to one another. In Gymkhana, he is nothing like the hurt, oppressed man in Unda or the vengeful youth in Thallumala. He remains the unreadable, no-nonsense coach until tensions run high. For the younger gang, it is more straightforward. They need the gymkhana and some of them are on the cusp of romance. Naslen plays all too well the confused teen, newly pursuing romance, drawn to multiple girls at once. It is adorable how he falls for a female boxer (clearly better than him), smitten by her moves in the ring. His character might seem repetitive – risking a typecast – but Naslen brings a certain perfection to them, almost unnoticeable in the way he pays attention to the tiniest movements. The rest of the young cast are also a fitting pick by Khalid – Baby Jean, Sandeep Pradeep, Franco Francis, Shiva Hariharan, Anagha Ravi, Noila Francy and Nanda Nishanth. Ganapathi maturely becomes the big brother among them. Every character remains memorable, with their own set of quirks, but without the heaviness of back stories and convoluted plots. You have to wonder, though, how a bunch of people living in Alappuzha speak the unmistakable Kochi Malayalam. The film does not have too many drawbacks, except that the stunts in the boxing ring might at times be a tad too graphic even as it carries effect. But otherwise, it rides on the spirit that sports movies offer even for the non-sportive audience. The fights are just long enough to keep things exciting. Jimshi Khalid’s camera mutes the blood, letting you marvel at the enormity of the game and the endurance of the boxers. Music by Vishnu Vijay aids the fights, bringing a flavour of Thallumala in the climax. Sadly, the man who put it all together so smoothly, editor Nishadh Yusuf, passed away last year. Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the film. Neither TNM nor any of its reviewers have any sort of business relationship with the film’s producers or any other members of its cast and crew.
FAILURE, established at the beginning of a film as something that happens to a lot of people and is not the end of everything, can be calming for your nerves.
It can also seem enticing, having already tossed away the formulaic approach of putting the protagonists on a pedestal, painting them as people who can’t lose.
Alappuzha Gymkhana turns the table around, introducing you to the lives of a few young men who are stamped ‘failed’ but shake it off like specks of dust over and over again.
Calling the film a comforting, engaging joyride can seem ironic, given that director Khalid Rahman has placed it in the thick of a boxing ring. But that is exactly what it becomes.
A young cast led by Naslen, even as they play mostly typical teenagers driven by spirit, win hearts by simply staying in character. They sit around a table, drinking to their class 12 results, as most of them fail to make it.
The camaraderie, thankfully, is not spelled out by an annoying voiceover or made a deal of with a song and dance. Conversations, reckless acts, and an incorrigible pull for trouble keep them close.
Innocence spills out of thoughtless behaviour, even as there is no attempt to cover up the sneaky, annoyingly curious ways of coming-of-age. The writing by Khalid, Ratheesh Ravi, and Sreeni Saseendran makes it a relatable outpour.
Jojo (Naslen) suggests that the gang, fresh after their Class 12 failure, try boxing to gain some grace marks and enter college in the sports quota. They join at the gymkhana to train, where Kottayam Nazeer plays a fun version of the unamused Kungfu master in Karate Kid. Laughs are easily evoked.
Lukman, an actor who mostly grew through Khalid Rahman’s films, appears as the tough, younger coach. Like Khalid’s films, Lukman’s roles bear little semblance to one another. In Gymkhana, he is nothing like the hurt, oppressed man in Unda or the vengeful youth in Thallumala. He remains the unreadable, no-nonsense coach until tensions run high.
For the younger gang, it is more straightforward. They need the gymkhana and some of them are on the cusp of romance. Naslen plays all too well the confused teen, newly pursuing romance, drawn to multiple girls at once.
It is adorable how he falls for a female boxer (clearly better than him), smitten by her moves in the ring. His character might seem repetitive – risking a typecast – but Naslen brings a certain perfection to them, almost unnoticeable in the way he pays attention to the tiniest movements.
The rest of the young cast are also a fitting pick by Khalid – Baby Jean, Sandeep Pradeep, Franco Francis, Shiva Hariharan, Anagha Ravi, Noila Francy and Nanda Nishanth. Ganapathi maturely becomes the big brother among them. Every character remains memorable, with their own set of quirks, but without the heaviness of back stories and convoluted plots.
You have to wonder, though, how a bunch of people living in Alappuzha speak the unmistakable Kochi Malayalam.
The film does not have too many drawbacks, except that the stunts in the boxing ring might at times be a tad too graphic even as it carries effect. But otherwise, it rides on the spirit that sports movies offer even for the non-sportive audience.
The fights are just long enough to keep things exciting. Jimshi Khalid’s camera mutes the blood, letting you marvel at the enormity of the game and the endurance of the boxers. Music by Vishnu Vijay aids the fights, bringing a flavour of Thallumala in the climax.
Sadly, the man who put it all together so smoothly, editor Nishadh Yusuf, passed away last year.
Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the film. Neither TNM nor any of its reviewers have any sort of business relationship with the film’s producers or any other members of its cast and crew.
