Sumo Didi

Sumo Didi Movie Review Rating:

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.