Sumo Didi
Director: Jayant Rohatgi
Writers: Anish Diddee, Ajay Gahlaut, Nikhil Sachan
Cast: Shriyam Bhagnani, Chaitanya Sharma, Anubha Fatehpura, Nitesh Pandey, Raghav Dheer
Rating: ★★★
Sometimes, you don't want to watch an action oriented film while chilling at home. Not even a romance coded film. And a web series? That's a long term commitment. Sumo Didi is the film for such a day. Simple and easy to settle into. Isn't that appealing in itself?
The premise
Directed by Jayant Rohatgi, the film is based on the real life story of Hetal Dave, India's first professional female sumo wrestler. It traces her journey as she battles body shaming from a young age, almost gives in to the idea of undergoing liposuction, only to eventually realise that the very thing she has been conditioned to see as a weakness is, in fact, her greatest strength.
Sumo Didi follows the most basic template of a biopic, with the familiar beats of struggle, self discovery and eventual triumph. The real beauty, however, lies in how the characters are fleshed out along the way. Take Anubha Fatehpuria and late Nitesh Pandey, who play Hetal's on screen parents. It would have been easy to relegate them to familiar archetypes: the supportive father who believes in his daughter and the apprehensive mother who worries about what society will say. Instead, their performances feel remarkably natural, lending the family dynamic a sense of lived-in warmth. Their concerns and affection come across as those of parents navigating unfamiliar territory, rather than characters written to serve a biopic.
That restraint also shows in the film's treatment of body shaming and body positivity. The screenplay doesn't stop every few minutes to lecture the audience about accepting oneself or challenge society's obsession with conventional beauty standards. Instead, it allows Hetal to live her life and discover her own strength. Her journey becomes the message, without the film feeling the need to spell it out at every turn. It is a refreshing approach, particularly for a story that could easily have slipped into heavy handed messaging. But later, as the film crosses the halfway mark, the same simplicity begins to wear down the story.
{{/usCountry}}That restraint also shows in the film's treatment of body shaming and body positivity. The screenplay doesn't stop every few minutes to lecture the audience about accepting oneself or challenge society's obsession with conventional beauty standards. Instead, it allows Hetal to live her life and discover her own strength. Her journey becomes the message, without the film feeling the need to spell it out at every turn. It is a refreshing approach, particularly for a story that could easily have slipped into heavy handed messaging. But later, as the film crosses the halfway mark, the same simplicity begins to wear down the story.
{{/usCountry}}The performances are good across the board. Shriyam Bhagnani does a commendable job as Hetal, bringing sincerity to a character whose journey requires her to convey vulnerability as well as determination. Chaitanya Sharma, playing her biggest support system, is equally effective, with an ease on screen that makes their equation believable. The supporting cast, too, contributes to the film's charm.
Overall, Sumo Didi's storytelling remains fairly predictable, and those familiar with the genre will likely anticipate its narrative turns. But not every film needs to surprise you with an unconventional structure or keep you hooked through twists and turns. Sometimes, a straightforward story told with sincerity is enough. Sumo Didi is one such film. It has its heart in the right place, doesn't overburden its audience with manufactured drama. For a laid back movie night, that is a good reason to press play.
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