PremiumAlappuzha Gymkhana review: Khalid Rahman, Naslen deliver a delightful underdog tale that packs a winning punch
Alappuzha Gymkhana movie review: This Naslen-starrer buzzes with youthful charm and energy, and is sure to be one of the sweetest underdog tales in recent times
Last Updated: 07.08 PM, Apr 10, 2025
Alappuzha Gymkhana story: After failing their class 12 exams, five youngsters decide to learn boxing, in a bid to get grace marks for their college admissions. After winning their district-level matches, they progress to the State-level competition, only to find that their skills are outmatched. But they decide to fight it out, either way.
Alappuzha Gymkhana review: ‘Vibe padam’ – that’s what youngsters now describe movies that evoke a certain sense of emotions that they connect with the most. In a way, director Khalid Rahman’s previous release Thallumaala could well fall into this category, though it’s a masterclass in choppy editing meets action meets great storytelling. Alappuzha Gymkhana, however, isn’t as frenetic. That doesn’t mean it has toned down the vibe one bit. With a cast of youngsters, buzzing with youthful charm and energy, and a story that keeps jabbing, hooking, swerving and upper-cutting its way into the audience, the filmmaker delivers another knockout punch that is sure to woo the youngsters to theatres.
In a nutshell, the film is about a bunch of teenagers, who, after failing their Class 12 exams, decide to learn boxing. In a matter of months and with some luck, they find their way to State-level competition, where each of them – as well as the audience – are aware that their competitors have the upper hand. But make no mistake, this isn’t the usual underdog story – where a motley crew of losers punch their way to the big league. In fact, it’s a much more charming, sweet version of that tale, made possible by the dynamics between the youngsters as well as what they want out of the whole competition.
Even if you have not been part of such competitions, you would immediately connect with this group of teenagers, rooting for them even as they fall and pick themselves up, and even be delighted by how they cheer for each other. The film, which is written by Rahman and Sreeni Saseendran and has fun and snappy dialogues by Ratheesh Ravi, is packed with moments that ensure the audience is very much a part of the gang. It’s credit to Rahman, how he keeps pulling this off, especially in multi-starrers such as Unda, Thallumaala and now Alappuzha Gymkhana, where he makes each character appealing enough to the viewers to care for them.
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Naslen as Jojo Thomas, the magnetic and buoyant leader of the pack, is through whom we get to see the world of these teenagers and their dynamics. The movie, however, doesn’t discount any other performance. Be it Baby Jean, Sandeep Pradeep, Shiva Hariharan, Shon Joy, Ganapathi, Karthik, Franco Francis, Anagha Maya Ravi or Lukman Avaran, all of them are vital to this film, as much as Naslen is, and that’s what makes the film a blast from start to end.
Though it does revolve around boxing and is replete with matches, it’s not the kind of sports film that is focused on the protagonists’ journey. So, you aren’t emotionally invested. But that’s also not what Rahman is aiming for in Alappuzha Gymkhana, which is more of a buddy sports comedy. The boxing matches, especially towards the end, benefit from Jimshi Khalid’s fluid cinematography, and there’s a marked difference in terms of how the stadium and its lights fill up, almost building to a crushing tempo. The final action scene is a cherry on the top.
Vishnu Vijay’s music is again a breath of fresh air, elevating an already vibrant film that is edited by the late Nishadh Yusuf.
Alappuzha Gymkhana verdict: Aided by charming performances from its youthful cast, this vibrant sports comedy will appeal to people of all age groups, and could very well be one of the sweetest underdog stories in recent times.