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Pink Villa
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Alappuzha Gymkhana Review: Naslen's sports comedy is a witty tale of underdogs which misses out on few punches
Alappuzha Gymkhana starring Naslen in the lead role hit the theaters on April 10, 2025. 2 months after its theatrical release, the film is available for streaming on SonyLIV. If you're interested in watching the movie on OTT, here's the Pinkvilla review you need to check out. The Plot Alappuzha Gymkhana features the story of Jojo Johnson and his gang who have just completed their 12th-grade board examination. After learning that most of them have failed in exams, the gang decides to secure college admission through sports quota. In hopes of the same, the amateur youngsters decide to enter the world of boxing, considering it the easiest route. How the gang manages to secure a coach and whether they succeed in the task form the rest of the film. The Good Alappuzha Gymkhana isn't your typical sports comedy movie set in the world of boxing. While it is not so much about the sport but the youngsters, the cinematic venture feels like a coming-of-age comedy drama. The film starts strong with actors like Naslen, Ganapathi, Lukman Avaran, Anagha Maya Ravi, and Sandeep Pradeep holding a strong ground. The natural charm these actors have and the ability to surrender to the characters are strongly evident. Much like other Khalid Rahman films, Alappuzha Gymkhana doesn't rely a lot on the story but rather the narration. While from the outset it seems it would be your typical underdog story, the sports comedy doesn't tell the tale of heroes rising to glory but more about wayward youngsters finding their path. The characters of the film aren't people who develop a passion towards boxing, but those who stumble upon it by chance. More importantly, this film isn't about who wins or loses, nor is it about a single character, making it stand out from others in the same genre. From a technical point of view, Alappuzha Gymkhana offers rich visuals by Jimshi Khalid and brilliant dialogues by Ratheesh Ravi. Additionally, Vishnu Vijay's musical compositions are a great aspect. The Bad Alappuzha Gymkhana may hold strong for its narrative, but it offers little from a story angle. The film starts off relying on the characters, the relationship they share, and strong emotions that hold them together. However, coming to the second half, Alappuzha Gymkhana stumbles with its tone shift. With stakes rising, the sports film shifts the tone towards the final match. While this was expected all along, the movie does not have the same balance it once had in the first half. The character arcs fall down like a house of cards, with more focus just on the main leads, unlike how it was up until that moment. Despite having a runtime of 2 hours and 30 minutes, it feels unreal that such aspects were not explored properly. The Performance Alappuzha Gymkhana features Premalu fame Naslen, Ganapati S Poduval, Lukman Avaran, Anagha Maya Ravi, Sandeep Pradeep, and many more in key roles. While Naslen does what he does best and offers little to no new shades in his acting, he must be lauded for his insane body transformation. However, it was Ganapati, Anagha Maya Ravi, and Lukman who made quite some attention-grabbing moments for viewers. Watch Alappuzha Gymkhana trailer: The Verdict Alappuzha Gymkhana is unlike your usual sports comedy film, especially concerning boxing. If you like something inventive and emotional, do watch the Naslen starrer on OTT.
News18
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Naslen's Alappuzha Gymkhana Lands On OTT After Theatrical Success
Last Updated: The film also features actors like Lukman Avaran, Sandeep Pradeep, Ganapathi, Kottayam Nazeer, Shine Tom Chacko and Abu Salim in significant roles. Alappuzha Gymkhana, the Malayalam sports drama film featuring Naslen in the titular role, emerged as a box-office success upon its release in April this year. Helmed by Khalid Rahman, the film minted Rs 44.25 crore, net in India, as per making it one of Mollywood's most profitable hits this year. Did you miss watching on the big screens? Well, need not worry are the film will be coming to the OTT platforms soon. Following a successful theatrical run, the film is preparing for its digital debut. Several rumours have been circulating about which streaming giant has got the rights, with names like Amazon Prime and JioHotstar in the running. Now, the film is released on the streaming giant SonyLIV in five languages: Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi. The film also features Lukman Avaran, Sandeep Pradeep, Ganapathi, Kottayam Nazeer, Shine Tom Chacko and Abu Salim in significant roles. It follows the story of five friends from Alappuzha who take up boxing to get college admission through the sports quota after failing their 12th-grade examinations. The story explores their friendship, relationships, and individual journeys as they navigate the world of boxing. While it incorporates elements of a sports drama, the film deviates from the typical underdog narrative, exploring the diverse motivations and approaches of the characters within the boxing world. The screenplay of the film is written by Khalid Rahman and Sreeni Saseendran. It is backed by Khalid Rahman, Jobin George, Subeesh Kannanchery and Sameer Karat under Plan B Motion Pictures and Reelistic Studios. Speaking about the making of the film, director Rahman earlier told OTTPlay, 'What I felt would be the most thrilling part of creating this film was having to bring in a group of young people and collaborate with them. It is not a boxing film centred on a particular actor or celebrity. There is a group of young actors who I could shape in any way I wanted. They would also devote their time and energy to the project, which was an advantage I noticed before making the film. And everything turned out well." Apart from this, several other Malayalam films have also been released on OTT this week, including Thudarum, Pattth, Big Ben and Bromance among others. First Published:
News18
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Alappuzha Gymkhana OTT Review: Fans Call It ‘Best Malayalam Film Of The Year'
Last Updated: Alappuzha Gymkhana boasts an ensemble cast, including Lukman Avaran, Sandeep Pradeep, Shine Tom Chacko and Abu Salim, who bring to life the story of five friends from Alappuzha. Alappuzha Gymkhana, the Malayalam sports drama film featuring Naslen, has been a box-office success since its release in April. Directed by Khalid Rahman, the film is Mollywood's most profitable hit this year, grossing Rs 44.25 crore net in India, according to Following a successful theatrical run, the film has also made its debut on a streaming platform. As it premiered on SonyLIV, netizens have taken to the internet to share their opinions. More than a month since its theatrical release, Alappuzha Gymkhana has begun streaming online. With the OTT debut, netizens appear to be lauding the sports film. A user on X (formerly Twitter) said, '10 mins into Alappuzha gymkhana and this is going to be a funny adrenaline ride, those who have been to martial arts classes can laugh harder." 10 mins into Alappuzha gymkhana and this is going to be an funny adrenaline ride, those who have been to martial arts classes can laugh more harder— kooda irundha kumaru (@Bvpr12345) June 12, 2025 Another user made a similar reaction and said, 'Alappuzha Gymkhana is the best Mollywood film to come out this year, even rewatching it gives fresh excitement. Vishnu Vijay YOU BEAUTY. A well-packed maja padammmm." Alappuzha Gymkhana —Another day, another good movie from Malayalam!It doesn't end as I expected, or like most boxing or sports movies usually end. But what's surprising is that I'm not complaining. This different path made the movie more interesting to me. — ㆅ (@howfxr) June 13, 2025 'Alappuzha Gymkhana —Another Day, another good movie from Malayalam! It doesn't end as I expected, or like most boxing or sports movies usually ends. But what's surprising is that I'm not complaining. This different path made the movie more interesting to me," one more post read. alappuzha gymkhana is the best mollywood film come out this year, even rewatch it gives fresh and vijay YOU BEAUTY Meanwhile, Alappuzha Gymkhana boasts an impressive ensemble cast, including Lukman Avaran, Sandeep Pradeep, Ganapathi, Kottayam Nazeer, Shine Tom Chacko and Abu Salim, who bring to life the story of five friends from Alappuzha. After failing their 12th-grade exams, the friends take up boxing as a means to secure college admission through the sports quota. As they navigate the world of boxing, the film beautifully weaves together themes of friendship, relationships and individual growth. You know what's the best part of the film? It moves beyond the conventional underdog tale to explore the complexities and diverse motivations of its characters. Speaking about the making of the film, director Rahman earlier told OTTPlay, 'What I felt would be the most thrilling part of creating this film was having to bring in a group of young people and collaborate with them. It is not a boxing film centred on a particular actor or celebrity." He added, 'There is a group of young actors whom I could shape in any way I wanted. They would also devote their time and energy to the project, which was an advantage I noticed before making the film. And everything turned out well." Apart from Alappuzha Gymkhana, several other Malayalam films, including Padakkalam and Bazooka have also been released on OTT this week. First Published:
