Sarpatta Parambarai To Irudhi Suttru, 6 Combat Sports Films To Wrestle With

This column was originally published on 30 August 2022, as part of our newsletter The Daily Show. Subscribe here. (We're awesome about not spamming your inbox!)

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Like most combat sports films, some of the genre’s most notable titles from South India fall into the category of drama. They rally around the underdog — tracing the protagonist’s professional and personal struggles, inspired (and inspiring) training techniques, building up to the expected triumph and closure. It is true that we have very few films that have accurately captured the nuances of combat sports, unlike in Hollywood. But thankfully, Liger doesn't define the combat sports drama genre in Indian cinema. Here's the lowdown on six that pack a punch.

Irudhi Suttru (2016)

Co-written and directed by Sudha Kongara, and released simultaneously in Tamil and Hindi (as Saala Khadoos), this film circles around the failed boxer-turned-coach of a women’s boxing training academy, who mentors a young fish seller into a boxer.

What really champions the narrative are the knockout performances of the lead pair (R Madhavan and Ritika Singh) who are constantly at odds with each other, battling bruised egos, rejections and a corrupt system all set in a very rooted milieu (capturing the essence of a community with precision).

It’s the quintessential inspiring underdog tale, encrusted with emotional and aggressive altercations between the mentor and his protégée, culminating in a predictable — but stunning — showdown.

Sarpatta Parambarai (2021)

Pa Ranjith spectacularly mounts his film against the backdrop of ‘70s North Madras where two rival boxing clans (Sarpatta and Idiyappa) are fighting to safeguard their game and reputations.

Factory worker Kabilan (Arya) is picked by former boxer and coach of Sarpatta, Rangan, to break the winning streak of the Idiyappa clan. Since it's Pa Ranjith, he is more focused on the ethos, lifestyle, people and politics of North Madras than the sport alone. There is enough family drama along with realistic and raw fight sequences.

Despite the length, the film packs a punch with testosterone-pumping bouts, the flair and showmanship of Dancing Rose (Shabeer Kallarakkal) and his duel with Kabilan, Pasupathy’s riveting performance as Rangan, and an edge-of-the-seat finish. 

Godha (2017)

Leave it to Basil Joseph to narrate a sports drama with undertones of humour and yet keep it sufficiently rousing. A Malayali boy from a small town in Kerala falls for a talented and ambitious Punjabi wrestler. When she knocks at his door one night, seeking shelter, not only do her wrestling ambitions take flight but also the boy’s own coming-of-age.

Basil typically keeps it local, imbuing the hilarious conflicts that arise in a village where boys who have always scoffed at the sport suddenly show an interest, spurred by thoughts of wrestling with a girl. The film also draws attention to the struggles faced by girls to convince their patriarchal families when it comes to participating in such a close combat sport. 

The narrative is powered by the fantastic Wamiqa Gabbi who plays the resolute, no-nonsense Punjabi wrestler with spunk, while Tovino Thomas is endearing as a man-child who eventually finds his path of reckoning. They’re ably aided by a host of superb supporting characters.

More than the grand knockout punches, Godha is about the little triumphs. Look out for the scene when a sari-clad Gabbi trounces rowdies at a temple festival, prompting the boys to run for cover. Gold.

M Kumaran Son of Mahalakshmi (2004)

A large portion of the film (a remake of the 2003 Telugu movie, Amma Nanna O Tamil Ammayi) directed by M Raja, charmingly revolves around a single mom (Nadia Moidu) and her son (Jayam Ravi), an aspiring kickboxer.

There are songs, romance, humour, sporadic kickboxing exhibits and emotional bits till the death of his mother leads the son to his father, who is a former kickboxing champion and coach. Even there you have the usual drama centred on the son and father, till a betrayal unleashes the son’s kickboxing talent to his stunned father. Then you get the inspirational training spells and the anticipated closure.

Jayam Ravi is convincing with his kickboxing skills and the narrative places the stunts at predictable yet thrilling junctures, making this film worth your time.

Honourable mentions

The 1989 period classic, Oru Vadakkan Veeragadha, scripted by MT Vasudevan Nair, directed by Hariharan and headlining Mammootty, revolves around a tale of betrayal, love and family honour, unravelling against the backdrop of thrilling Kalarippayattu duels in 16th century North Kerala. 

Similarly, although Sangeeth Sivan’s Yoddha (1992) is about the strange bond between a Malayali (Mohanlal) who turns saviour to a Rinpoche (Siddharth Lama) from a monastery in Nepal, one of the high points of the film has to be the Kung Fu sequences performed by Mohanlal, pitting him against the antagonist (Puneet Issar).