‘Alappuzha Gymkhana’ Movie Review: Naslen’s Sports-Comedy Floats Like a Butterfly and Punches With Humour and Charm (LatestLY Exclusive)

Alappuzha Gymkhana Movie Review: In sports, you can be the champion – and that’s a story in itself. Or you might keep losing, but the experience becomes the story. Now, I won’t tell you which category Khalid Rahman’s Alappuzha Gymkhana fits into – it could be category one, it could be category two, or maybe even both. What I can say is that Alappuzha Gymkhana isn’t your usual kind of sports film where an underdog defies all odds and expectations to reach the top. It’s about underdogs, sure – but the kind of underdogs the majority of us can truly relate to, yours truly included. And it’s that relatability that makes films like Thattathin Marayathu, Thaneermathan Dinangal, Premalu, Vaazha, and now Alappuzha Gymkhana, connect so effortlessly with young audiences – or anyone who’s lived through that phase. ‘Alappuzha Gymkhana’ Trailer: ‘Premalu’ Fame Naslen Dons Boxing Gloves in Khalid Rahman’s Fun-Filled Sports Flick.

The story – or more accurately, the semblance of one – revolves around a group of besties who do everything together, even though that rule is not always maintained. The gang includes Jojo (Naslen), Shifas Ahmed aka ‘Valathu’ (Sandeep Pradeep), Shifas Ali aka ‘Cheruthu’ (Franco Francis), Shanavas (Shiva Hariharan), and David (Baby Jean).

Except for Shanavas, all of them flunk their 12th exams. After one of them is knocked out by a state-level boxer, Jojo has a brainwave: why not learn boxing and enter a championship tournament that would earn them grace marks to pass and secure college admission through the sports quota? They join their local gym, dragging a reluctant Shanavas along, and begin training under coach Antony (Lukman Avaran).

Watch the Trailer of ‘Alappuzha Gymkhana’:

Most of them do decently well at the district-level competition – though David switches to wrestling much earlier and Shanavas fails. The boys march ahead to the state-level tournament, joined this time by Deepak (Ganapathi S Poduval), Christopher (Karthik), and Kiran (Shon Joy). But the state-level competition turns out to be a different ball game altogether – far tougher than they ever imagined.

‘Alappuzha Gymkhana’ Movie Review – Humourous Boy-Zone

Friendship sagas and sports films are genres that young audiences naturally gravitate towards. Khalid Rahman merges both in this film – though this is more of a ‘boys being boys’ and besties-hanging-out movie with a sports backdrop. From his debut Anuraga Karikkin Vellam to the vibrant chaos of Thallumaala, Rahman has always had a knack for capturing male camaraderie in a way that feels authentic and instantly relatable – even in the much darker Love, where male bonding is subtly present despite the film’s sinister tone. In Alappuzha Gymkhana, this aspect shines out and out, thanks to a fantastic young cast and some sparkling dialogues from Ratheesh Ravi that keep flowing (did anyone catch that infamous Devan dialogue from Goa in the final interaction between Jojo and Natasha?).

A Still From Alappuzha Gymkhana

The screenplay by Khalid Rahman and Sreeni Saseendran doesn’t aim for a heavy narrative. Instead, it thrives in those slice-of-life moments that feel pulled from our own memories – and that’s what gives Alappuzha Gymkhana its charm. While many might compare it to the films of Vineeth Sreenivasan and Gireesh AD, I’d say its tone – especially in both halves – feels closer to Venkat Prabhu’s Chennai 600028 movies, albeit less parodical.

A Still From Alappuzha Gymkhana

The first half focuses on the group’s bonding, using boxing as a sort of Trojan horse to nudge them toward maturity, while also touching on their personal lives. Since Naslen is the film’s biggest star, we get more insight into Jojo’s love life and family (his father is played by popular music composer Alex Paul, who is also actor-director Lal’s brother). Naslen delivers a performance in the same entertaining zone as Premalu, but this time with a touch more confidence and flirtatiousness.

A Still From Alappuzha Gymkhana

At one point, Jojo quotes Muhammad Ali: “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” to a character. In reality, his punches might not sting, but he definitely floats like a butterfly, except not in a ring but around three different girls, craving for their attentions: his school crush Anupama (Nanda Nishan), his only female friend Sherin (Noila Francy), and later, a more talented fellow boxer, Natasha (Anagha Maya Ravi). Kaathal The Core Movie Review: Mammootty’s Subtly Superlative Performance in Jeo Baby’s Deeply Moving Drama Deserves Highest Acclaim.

‘Alappuzha Gymkhana’ Movie Review – Subversive Sports Saga

The second half tightens the focus, shifting to the state-level tournament. This is where Rahman could have followed the predictable underdog trajectory and still delivered a satisfying win – because, let’s be honest, we all have a soft spot for such stories. But no, he stays true to the irreverent tone of the first half, maintaining consistency in character and avoiding abrupt shifts. These portions still feel like a coming-of-age journey for the boys, but also serve as a wake-up call—a reflection on whether they’re truly prepared, or just coasting on vibes, snacks, and flashy entrances, while Jojo continues trying to woo the ever-sassy Natasha.

A Still From Alappuzha Gymkhana

Many expected tropes are playfully subverted here—including the coach’s backstory. While Antony has a dark past in the sport, it doesn’t lead to the emotional crisis you’d expect him to go. When he gives a ‘hard talk’ to the boys about shaking off their complacency, Jojo cracks that he’s only doing it to impress the pretty medic. It’s not confirmed, but you kind of believe him.

A Still From Alappuzha Gymkhana

Khalid Rahman has a clever way of drawing connections between events unfolding in different places and situations—like Jojo’s inability to kiss under pressure, which later mirrors his struggle during his first boxing match. Or how his mother’s prophecy returns to haunt him in an entirely unexpected way. These humorous callbacks help the film stay engaging, even when the lack of a tightly woven storyline challenges our conventional expectations of narrative structure. Manjummel Boys Movie Review: Soubin Shahir and Sreenath Bhasi’s Film is a Gripping Survival Thriller with Near-Perfect Execution!

While the film may not lean too heavily into the traditional underdog arc, it treats the boxing matches with due seriousness. Jimshi Khalid’s cinematography is top-notch – using high, low, and over-the-shoulder angles to track the action – and Nishadh Yusuf’s crisp editing gives each bout the right tempo and intensity for the situation. The action choreography is excellent – less stylised than Thallumaala, though the climactic fight does approach that zone. Vishnu Vijay’s music also adds a lot of spunk and frivolity to these scenes.

A Still From Alappuzha Gymkhana

There are victories where you least expect them and defeats in places that surprise you or where they are actually expected (but dealt with enough whimsicality). And despite their patchy efforts, the boys still get a chance to shine in the climax – even if it’s not always in the boxing ring.

‘Alappuzha Gymkhana’ Movie Review – The Performances

As for the performances, it’s an all-round win for the young cast. Naslen is clearly the lead and brings his familiar charm to Jojo, but it’s still a slightly offbeat role for someone of his current industry standing. He’s especially good in two key moments of self-doubt that lend unexpected depth to his character.

A Still From Alappuzha Gymkhana

The rest of the gang – Ganapathi, Sandeep Pradeep, Franco Francis, Baby Jean, Shiva Hariharan, Shon Joy, and Karthik – all get their moments and make the most of them. Lukman Avaran, as always, is excellent. And it’s worth noting how physically committed the actors are – both in physique and body language – which adds authenticity to their characters. (Unlike a few years ago, when we had to buy Dileep as an all-star champion in Speed Track.)

A Still From Alappuzha Gymkhana

Yes, Alappuzha Gymkhana might still be a bit of a sausage fest – the girls don’t get fair screen time – but Anagha Maya Ravi, Nanda Nishanth, and Noila Francy are all delightful. Anagha, especially, shines in the “Punjara Punch” sequence, with her expressive face and nimble moves, that you do not blame Jojo for crushing hard on her.

PS: Alappuzha Gymkhana is the third movie I watched this week, where Shine Tom Chacko dropped in for a cameo, the others being Good Bad Ugly and Bazooka. ‘Bazooka’ Movie Review: All Flash, No Bang in This Messily Edited Mammootty Thriller!

‘Alappuzha Gymkhana’ Movie Review – Final Thoughts

The lack of a proper storyline does affect Alappuzha Gymkhana at times – the events are inspired by the director’s own experiences from his younger days – but you would never get bored for a moment. Alappuzha Gymkhana may not aim to pack a knockout punch, but it definitely lands with heart, humour, and a whole lot of charm, with enjoyable performances by the young cast. It doesn’t follow the rulebook of sports dramas to the letter – and that’s exactly what makes it stand out. It’s less about the glory of winning and more about the joy of trying, failing, showing up anyway, and doing it all with your best mates by your side.

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 11, 2025 05:22 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).