Alappuzha Gymkhana on OTT: What doesn't work in Naslen-Khalid Rahman's Malayalam sports comedy

Alappuzha Gymkhana, the 2025 Malayalam film starring Naslen in the lead role, won much appreciation after its theatrical release on April 10. The Khalid Rahman directorial recently also made its OTT premiere on SonyLiv and OTTplay Premium, but after the initial enthusiasm, the eagle-eyed netizens have called out some blemishes that slightly dim the sheen on the Malayalam sports comedy. Here, let’s take a look at what works and what doesn’t in Naslen and Khalid Rahman's Malayalam sports comedy.

What doesn’t work in Alappuzha Gymkhana

Underwritten or hazy female characters

The film has mainly four female characters – the three young girls that Jojo (Naslen) has set his eyes on and his mother. Among the three youngsters, Sherin (Noila Francy) is the most underwritten character. We get no other info on who Sherin is other than that she fancies Jojo, who doesn’t exactly come across as the committed guy as he is also busy pursuing Anupama. Nanda Nishanth’s Anupama too has seldom much to do but to pull him up as she reciprocates his interest with more enthusiasm, that leaves Jojo insecure.

Anagha Ravi as Natasha, the boxer competing in the same contest, is portrayed as confident and she initially rebuffs Jojo’s romantic advancements. But the smile after he cheers on does hint that she has taken a liking to him. The casual flings of Jojo do look problematic in a way, coming across as passive-aggressive, though the makers ensured that there is no more serious instance of stalking or jilted lover antics.

Portrayal of woke youngsters

The lads are introduced as plus-two students and even Nanda Nishanth’s Anupama is seen wearing a school uniform. But the youngsters drive cars and bikes, enjoy drinks and party. This is not to say that the teenagers from the small towns of Alappuzha would not indulge in such activities. The film is indeed a breezy watch, and clearly aimed at youngsters, but this does looks like the team stretched the portrayal of woke culture among Gen Z a tad too much.

What works in Alappuzha Gymkhana

Bromance between the lads

The plot follows Jojo and his bunch of friends, who fail the plus-two exams and decide to compete in the boxing competition. The youngsters decide to take the plunge together even when they have zero idea about boxing. Whether it is the initial brawl on the streets of Alappuzha or the contest in the ring, the lads have each other’s back throughout. It is their joint decision to compete and they stick together till the very end. Even in the end, when Jojo’s mother chides him for being a complete failure, his teammates and coach speak for him.

Witty dialogues, jokes that land

The performances of Naslen and other characters, and the script are definitely the major highlights of the film. But the dialogue and jokes do stand out in the film, with the youngsters enquiring about an EMI option for paying fees at Alappuzha Gymkhana, the local boxing training centre. Khalid Rahman and Sreeni Saseendran’s script also weaves in some funny yet relatable situations such as Malayali’s love for puffs, which prompts Jojo to pop one in right before checking his weight for the competition with obviously hazardous consequences.

Also read: Alappuzha Gymkhana on OTT: Why you should watch Naslen’s Malayalam film online 

Vishnu Vijay's Peppy music

Vishnu Vijay’s music also plays a key role in keeping the peppy vibe of the movie. Almost all songs have a groovy tune to them and are also picturized beautifully. The Panjara Punch song, by Anthony Daasan and Vishnu Vijay, has a separate fan base of its own. Other than this chart-topper, the Hatja track also woos the audience.