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Star Cast: Shriyam Bhagnani, Anubha Fatehpuria, Nitesh Pandey, Raghav Dheer, Chaitanya Sharma
Director: Jayant Rohatgi
What’s Good: Inspirational and honest storytelling
What’s Bad: A little too simple
Loo Break: Anytime
Watch or Not?: Watch it. You won’t regret.
Language: Hindi
Available On: ZEE5
Runtime: 118 Minutes
User Rating:
Sumo is not a popular sport in India. In fact, many people in the country see it as a funny sport. However, that is not the case in its country of origin, Japan. It is Japan’s national sport, and sumo wrestlers are revered in its culture. In India, however, sumo has largely been portrayed mockingly in films, with very little effort to understand the sport. Sumo Didi definitely changes the way we look at sumo and presents the story of India’s first woman sumo wrestler, Hetal Dave.
The ZEE5 original film, starring Shriyam Bhagnani in the lead, is an inspiring sports biopic. Without dragging out the narrative or adding unnecessary drama to her real-life story, the film highlights what inspired Hetal to take up a sport that remains unpopular in India and what drove her to win her first medal.
Sumo Didi Movie Review: Script Analysis
Sumo Didi begins with protagonist Hetal Dave (Shriyam Bhagnani) winning her first-ever sumo match in Taiwan in the most unexpected manner. We are then taken back nine months, when Hetal’s mother begins pressuring her to lose weight so that she can get married. Her mother feeds her bitter gourd juice, makes her do yoga, and even suggests liposuction. Amid all this, a relative also makes her feel bad about her appearance.
Through flashbacks, we learn that Hetal gained weight due to PCOD and that losing it naturally is a challenge for her. She has been mocked for her weight since her school days. On one occasion, she even hits a neighbour for calling her names. This prompts her father to enrol her in judo classes so that she can channel her anger in the right direction. She becomes good at judo without losing weight.
However, when a sumo grandmaster arrives in India, Hetal becomes fascinated by the sport and dreams of pursuing it. The rest of the film follows her journey as she chases her sumo dream. Along the way, the film also offers viewers a better understanding of the sport.
Sumo Didi Movie Review: Star Performance
Shriyam Bhagnani is simply brilliant as Hetal Dave. She beautifully captures Hetal’s frustration and vulnerability as she embarks on her journey towards becoming a sumo champion. For her first film, Shriyam delivers a compelling performance.
Anubha Fatehpuria and Nitesh Pandey play Hetal’s parents perfectly, bringing contrasting energies to their roles. While her father supports his daughter’s big ambitions, her mother is more concerned about what society will think if she remains unmarried.
Chaitanya Sharma also has an interesting character arc in the film as he becomes the wingman who supports Hetal’s dreams. Raghav Dheer plays Hetal’s brother and has a few moments to shine as well.
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Sumo Didi Movie Review: Direction, Music
The film has been directed by Jayant Rohatgi, who marks her directorial debut with this project. She brings a certain freshness to the biopic, which has a runtime of just two hours. The filmmaker focuses on the experiences that give Hetal the drive and motivation to chase her big dreams.
The film could easily have turned into a sob story in the first half, but it never goes down that route. Instead, the first half focuses on Hetal’s motivations and how she chooses to deal with the relentless body-shaming she has faced since childhood.
Rather than following the conventional route of sports biopics, Sumo Didi tries to stay realistic. There are no grand villains or unnecessarily dramatic obstacles. The challenges Hetal faces are logical, and she deals with them in a similarly grounded manner. That is precisely the USP of Sumo Didi. It stays as honest to the story as possible while still delivering a climax that moves you.
The film also has decent music, especially when it helps elevate the climax. The editing is sharp, and the cinematography is impressive as well.
Sumo Didi Movie Review: The Last Word
umo Didi is not just a sports film but also an inspirational story. It explores how young women can change their own destinies and make the best of their circumstances.
The film also features the story of Shobha Aunty, a woman who is looked down upon by society after an accident disfigures her face. Her husband eventually leaves her. However, after undergoing facial reconstruction, she chooses not to take him back. Instead, she becomes financially independent and decides to forge her own path.
Through Hetal’s journey and Shobha Aunty’s story, the film delivers a strong message about women refusing to give up on their dreams because of the fear of what society might think.
Ultimately, Sumo Didi reminds us that the biggest victories are not always won in the ring; sometimes, they come from having the courage to live life on your own terms.
Sumo Didi Trailer
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