'Alappuzha Gymkhana' Review: A Sports Drama That Swings But Misses The Knockout
After delivering films like Anuraga Karikkin Vellam, Unda, Love, and the chaotic Thallumaala, director Khalid Rahman returns with Alappuzha Gymkhana, a sports drama plotted in Kerala’s Alappuzha district.
Set in the scenic town of Alappuzha, the film revolves around friendship, failure, and redemption through the lens of boxing—but unfortunately, it punches below its potential.
(Spoiler Alert)
The film opens in a laid-back toddy shop, where five close-knit friends anxiously check their Plus Two (Class 12) results and find out they’ve all failed.
The gang includes: Naslen K Gafoor as Jojo Johnson, Baby Jean as David John aka DJ, Sandeep Prathap as Shifas Ahammed, Shiva Hariharan as Shanavas and Franco Francis as Shifas Ali.
Jojo and DJ are cousins; Shifas Ahammed and Shifas Ali are brothers. None of them are serious about studies and drift aimlessly through life, cracking jokes and chasing girls.
Jojo, in particular, is portrayed as a compulsive flirt—a character Naslen has now played multiple times with little variation.
After a scuffle with a local boxing champ leaves them humiliated, Jojo gets a bizarre idea: they’ll become boxers to exploit the sports quota and get college admission.
Enter Alappuzha Gymkhana, a modest rural boxing club run by the ever-reliable Kottayam Naseer as Salim. What follows is the first half, where the group, without discipline or commitment, start their boxing journey.
They are soon joined by Lukman Avaran as Joshua, a serious boxer who reluctantly begins training them. Meanwhile, romantic subplots emerge. Jojo flirts with two girls— Nandha Nishant and Noila Francy in what feels like a forced love triangle.
There’s also a small, inconsequential role played by Anagha Ravi as Natasha, a fellow boxer. Abu Salim appears as Ashraf, the coach of the Alappuzha girls’ team.
Where Alappuzha Gymkhana does shine a bit is in its visuals and soundscape. Jimshi Khalid’s cinematography stands out with smooth transitions and a beautiful capture of the rural gyms.
The aesthetic is grounded yet vibrant. Vishnu Vijay’s music pairs well with the film’s youthful energy, and Suhail Koya’s modern lyrics help a trifle otherwise mediocre montage. Despite the film’s generic story arc, these elements give it a polish that makes it watchable, at least in parts.
A familiar fall . After a rather okayish first half that sets up the characters and their motivations, the second half stumbles into predictable terrain.
The team reaches the state-level boxing championship, and the usual sports-movie clichés start flooding in—revenge, motivational speeches, the team falling apart and coming together, and a redemption arc for the coach.
Lukman’s character, Joshua, becomes more involved, delivering the stereotypical “tough” mentor performance.
The humor attempts in the second half fail to land, and while the film tries to inject motivation, the narrative becomes repetitive and stretched.
Shifas Ali (Franco Francis) wins an important match, but Jojo’s final bout ends in failure, making the climax feel both chaotic and anticlimactic.
There’s a nod to local tradition when the team enters the ring with Alappuzha’s iconic Vallamkali (boat race) song—an inspired moment—but the film doesn’t build enough momentum for a satisfying payoff.
Naslen, as Jojo, plays a character we’ve seen him do before—a playful, slightly clueless boy flirting with girls. The script gives him very little room to evolve, making his arc underwhelming.
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Female characters, including Anu, Noila Francy, and Anagha Ravi, are barely sketched out, and their presence feels tokenistic.
Alappuzha Gymkhana had all the ingredients for a grounded sports drama: a coastal setting, local flavor, a ragtag team, and an underdog arc.
But despite Khalid Rahman’s sincere effort to switch genres, the film feels like a patchwork of familiar tropes and missed opportunities.
Naslen’s character adds no freshness, the humor feels forced, and the emotional highs never land properly. What could’ve been an inspiring underdog tale ends up as a visually pleasing but narratively hollow attempt.
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It’s not a total miss— good cinematography, music, and one or two engaging moments—but it’s definitely not Khalid Rahman’s best work.
Timeline Verdict: Alappuzha Gymkhana is a film that starts with energy and potential but settles for a safe, predictable punch. Good vibes, commendable visuals, but not a knockout.
Cast:
* Naslen K Gafoor
* Baby Jean
* Sandeep Prathap
* Franco Francis
* Shiva Hariharan
* Lukman Avaran
* Kottayam Naseer
* Nandha Nishant
* Noila Francy
* Anagha Ravi
* Abu Salim
Crew:
* Director: Khalid Rahman
* Producers: Jobin George, Subeesh Kannanchery, Sameer Karat, Khalid Rahman
* Writer: Khalid Rahman
* Dialogues: Ratheesh Ravi
* Screenplay: Sreeni Saseendran
* Cinematography: Jimshi Khalid
* Music: Vishnu Vijay
* Lyrics: Suhail Koya
