The title of the latest film from Indian independent cinema’s prolific maverick Anurag Kashyap refers to the central character, aspiring boxer Shravan (Vineet Kumar Singh). But it could just as easily refer to Kashyap himself. His film-making is boisterous, unruly and frequently a little slapdash. But for all the rowdy anarchy and the inconsistency of the storytelling, Kashyap’s films have an unpredictable energy that can be genuinely thrilling to watch. This is certainly true of this politics-infused sports melodrama.
This film, which is loosely based on a true story, focuses on the cross-caste romance between Shravan and Sunaina (Zoya Hussain), the feisty, mute niece of gangster boxing promoter Bhagwan Das (Jimmy Shergill, struggling with decidedly uncomfortable-looking contact lenses). Like Kashyap’s impressive gangster epic The Gangs of Wasseypur, this is gritty, grubby film-making. The dialogue is robustly filthy, the violence unflinching and the music loaded with innuendo. And while the fight sequences lack polish, the plot points are pounded home with fists, feet and iron bars.
