'Saala Khadoos' review: Arresting performances make it a captivating movie

Rating: ***

Genre: Action drama

Cast: R Madhavan, Ritika Singh, Mumtaz Sorcar, Nassar

Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad

Language: Hindi

Sport-related films, let alone one with a woman protagonist, are rarely made in India. Though after watching " Saala Khadoos", the atypical theme becomes just one of the many reasons to recommend the film.



Adi Tomar (Madhavan) is a hot fuse and former boxing champ, who due to a long-standing enmity with former mentor and current boxing federation head honcho Dev Khatri (Zakir Hussain) is delegated to Chennai, where there seemingly is no future for boxing. Tomar moves to Chennai and discovers Madhi, a fisherwoman by profession, who he thinks is born to be a boxer. The film is Tomar and Madhi's journey and how as a mentor he turns her into the champion she is born to be.



The first few minutes of the film is patchy, and Prasad doesn't spend enough time establishing the conflict between Tomar and Khatri. But once the narrative moves to the shores of Chennai, the film instantly becomes engaging. A big reason for this being Madhavan and debutant Singh's screen presence, chemistry and acting chops. Madhavan is angry as the titular character, but the real ferocity comes from Singh's character. Both the characters carry the film on their shoulders, with Madhavan holding back just enough to make the mentor-student relationship seem genuine.

The entire cast, including the bit players like Madhi's parents and debutant Mumtaz Sorcar, deliver arresting performances. The film is full of local flavour and full marks to Prasad for not shying away from themes like sexual harassment and internal politics in the sports world. Brownie points for the situational humour, which endear all the characters, especially Singh to the audience.

The film does get a wee bit dramatic unnecessarily in the second half. This, however, is a small grouse in an otherwise captivating film.

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Also Read: 'Saala Khadoos' is full of drama but lacks emotional energy

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