Sala Khadoos review
Dirty Politics & Sexual Harrasment in the Sports world – esp. women sports.
I was never fond of sports – of any kind…and after watching this film I understood why I was so averse to sports!
Film shows the kind of girls who join sports and the compromises they have to make to keep their position!
Story Line:
In this film Madhavan is an honest boxer who was cheated by one of his corrupt colleagues. His boxing career came to an abrupt end because his colleagues had played dirty and had added some poisonous particles in his wiping towel or boxing gloves because of which he was blinded at the most crucial moment and loses the game along with almost losing his eye-sight! He spends about 10 years in healing his eyesight!
He is called back to be a coach after 10 years and again his senior corrupt colleague sends him away to a remote area down south in order to train candidates in boxing (alleging him of a false case of sexual harassment) . Reluctantly he had to accept the position because boxing was his passion and he whole-heartedly believed in training candidates and making them ready as champions.
Down south he meets the sister of a boxer Lakshmi and finds her to be ideal for boxing. He pays her to join the boxing classes which Madhi agrees to. After much struggle, Madhi wins the World Boxing Championship Award.
Film points out many things which are basically points to ponder upon!
- Lakshmi had joined the boxing classes so that she could get a job as a lady constable through sports quota. Meaning they do not play for the country but for jobs.
- Lakshmi and Madhi belonged to a very poor family – father was a drunkard, irresponsible, good-for-nothing-beep and the poor mother was single-handedly running the family – by being a maid etc. Madhi used to sell fish in the local market.
- Lakshmi had to sleep (sexual harassment) with the aged coach or other admin authorities so that she does not lose her sports position. She does not enjoy doing such dirty things (unlike Item girls who enjoy doing such stuff) but had to compromise so that she gets the job and could settle her parents and sister!
- Sibling rivalry has also been shown here – when Madhi outshines her sister in boxing!
- Madhavan is shown as a decent coach – at least he did not exploit his students. Although he was not a celibate – he was shown enjoying sex with a desperate housewife. This desperate housewife comes all the way from a distant town just to have sex with the boxer! Lol – and Indians propagate the fact that Indian women are all chaste, loyal, shy etc. etc. We are like that no doubt – but because of such BEEPING Beeps we all suffer and have been suffering endlessly!
- Basically film showed that corrupt officials will remain put and not much can be done about it. Madhavan had to bow at the feet of the corrupt beep so that Madhi could participate in the final round! Shows that in our world today Mitya-mev-jayate!