Saala Khadoos Movie Review

R Madhavan has unwittingly been a part of some of the biggest Blockbusters of Bollywood (Rang De Basanti, 3 Idiots, Tanu Weds Manu series) but unfortunately he never seems to get the credit he deserves. None of those films would be such big hits without Madhavan’s characters. He is trying to set things straight with Saala Khadoos, where he gets main billing. He’s given this movie his everything for the past 2 years and that makes us eager to see how the film has turned out. Also Rajkumar Hirani’s name as the producer gives the film an extra impetus. Does it continue Hirani’s extraordinary success? Does it finally give Madhavan the solo success he deserves?

Story: Adi (Madhavan) is a retired boxer who now works as a coach. His wife has left him and his playing career didn’t work out that well. Coaching is his only redemption. He has a beef with the head of the boxing federation (Zakir Hussain). Thus, he is transferred to Chennai which is supposed to work as a punishment posting. He begins training Laxmi (Mumtaz Sorcar, Bengali actress and also world famous magician PC Sorcar’s daughter). This is when Laxmi’s sister Madhi catches Adi’s eyes. She is a firecracker and has raw boxing talent. Adi starts training her as well. Things get complicated when Madhi falls in love with Adi which impedes her boxing career. Does Adi succeed in making Madhi a successful boxer? Do they end up together? Watch the movie to find out!

Saala Khadoos Review

Screenplay and Direction: Sudha Kongara, the director, touches upon a lot of issues in dealing with the script. Relationship between a male coach and a female sportsperson, relationship between the more successful boxer and her left in the shadow sister, the dynamics in sports federations and the rampant corruption and bias are all shown. There’s a subtlety in the proceedings but Saala Khadoos deals with a bit too much in terms of story. The loose ends are all tied up by the end but the climax feels a little undercooked. Having said that, Saala Khadoos is still a good entertainer with some good moments and a realistic portrayal of a female sportsperson’s life in India.

The one thing that is sure to catch everyone’s eyes while watching Saala Khadoos is the gorgeous cinematography. Every frame is delightfully shot, every shot is immaculately framed without losing touch with realism. It shows the rugged charm of this country. The editing is decent and the action scenes are alright but they could have been better. The background music is good, and the songs are fine with no standout songs.

Acting: Madhavan is the heart and soul of Saala Khadoos. He lives the character of Adi and becomes on with it. He went through a great transformation for the character and it’s a shame that the movie couldn’t do justice to his hard work fully. However, that shouldn’t stop him from getting applauded all over. Boxer turned actor Ritika Singh is a jhalli patakha and she’s phenomenal. She feels like a natural fit and we can’t wait to see more of her. Mumtaz Sorcar also does a great job in whatever scenes she’s in. Zakir Hussain is the annoying boxing federation chief and as always he does well. Nasser is good.

Conclusion: Saala Khadoos could and should have been better but it is unable to get past the lofty goals it set for itself. It is still however a damn good entertainer and an even better character study. The pace doesn’t drop off completely at anytime during the movie. And with its brand of realism and goodness, Saala Khadoos ends up being a feel good movie which should bring a smile to your face even with all its ruggedness. Give it a try.

Pros:

• Madhavan and Ritika Singh’s acting
• Gorgeous cinematography
• The realism of the film
• The music and background score

Cons:

• The clichéd story of a disgruntled coach
• The script delves into too many social issues
• A predictable climax

Rating: