Gymkhana

The renown of Premalu Naslen plays the lead in the Malayalam-released sports drama Alappuzha Gymkhana, which is doing well. Its Telugu-dubbed version debuted in theaters today. To find out how it is, read our review.

Table of Contents

Starring : Naslen, Lukman Avaran, Ganapathy, Baby Jean, Sandeep Pradeep, Franco Francis, Shiva Hariharan, Karthik, Shon Joy, Anagha Ravi, Nanda Nishanth and Noila Francy
Director : Khalid Rahman
Producers : Khalid Rahman, Jobin George, Sameer Karat, Subeesh Kannanchery
Music Director : Vishnu Vijay
Cinematographer : Jimshi Khalid
Editor : Nishadh Yusuf

Story

Jojo Johnson (Naslen) and his four buddies in Alappuzha, Kerala, decide to attempt something entirely new after failing their board examinations for the 12th grade: boxing. They join a neighborhood gymkhana and begin training with enigmatic former boxing champion Antony Joshua (Lukman Avaran). There are concerns about whether they are only passing the time or are they serious about boxing as they get ready to fight in the Kerala State Amateur Boxing Championship. And what is their coach’s backstory? The solutions are gradually revealed in the film.

Trailer

Overview

Directed by	Khalid Rahman
Written by	Khalid Rahman Sreeni Saseendran
Dialogues by	Ratheesh Ravi
Produced by	Khalid Rahman Jobin George Sameer Karat Subeesh Kannanchery
Starring	Naslen Lukman Avaran Ganapathi S. Poduval Sandeep Pradeep Anagha Ravi Franco Francis Baby Jean Shiva Hariharan
Cinematography	Jimshi Khalid
Edited by	Nishadh Yusuf
Music by	Vishnu Vijay
Production companies	Plan B Motion Pictures Reelistic Studios
Distributed by	Central Pictures
Release date	10 April 2025
Running time	139 minutes
Country	India
Language	Malayalam

Review

Thallumaala’s director, Khalid Rahman, offers a lighthearted and novel interpretation on the sports genre. Gymkhana is lighter, funnier, and more relaxed than the typical somber and sad sports drama.

A strong performance is given by Naslen, who is well-known to Telugu viewers from Premalu. Even the Telugu dubbing and his humorous timing and facial gestures are effective. He provides entertaining value, particularly during stressful situations.

Franco Francis, Shon Joy, and Ganapathi, the other members of the ensemble, also perform admirably in their parts. Every performer contributes something different, and when the action gets up in the second half, they all shine brightly.

In addition, the movie deftly employs well-known Telugu speech and popular memes to keep things interesting and funny, particularly in the final parts.

The movie’s idea is entertaining, but the first half drags. It takes a while to get going, and some of the scenes seem a bit long.

The narrative doesn’t benefit much from the lackluster love tale elements. They may have been more fun with a little more development here.

Despite their strong performances, the majority of the performers are unknown, which might make it more difficult for certain viewers to identify with their characters.

Furthermore, this isn’t your average sports tale where the heroes strive for a significant triumph for their family or the nation. Those seeking inspiration or emotional euphoria might not find the film’s relaxed tone appealing.

Conclusion

Overall, Gymkhana is a lighthearted, unconventional sports drama that blends humor with boxing. It’s a mixed bag, occasionally enjoyable but not without problems. Naslen gives a respectable performance, but it is undermined by the uninteresting first half, a dull plot, a cliched romance, and an unfamiliar ensemble. You could find it amusing if you like quirky stories with a lighthearted tone and don’t anticipate too much seriousness, but be careful what you expect.