Ghoomer movie review: R Balki sports drama has hard-hitting story let down by a weak lead

Ghoomer marks Abhishek Bachchan's return to the silver screen after a gap of 5 years. The R Balki directorial is inspired by the formidable story of Olympic athlete Károly Takács, who won two gold medals in shooting, with his left hand after sustaining a serious injury to his dominant hand. Balki takes a real story of steely determination and blends it with a national passion - cricket, to deliver a poignant sports drama that for the most part, checks all the boxes.

3 things you need to know

• Saiyami Kher commits herself to the role but is not really able to shoulder the film.
• Abhishek Bachchan delivers a neutral performance.
• The film crescendos with the climax, delivering a goosebump-inducing finale.

Hot take

Ghoomer is a stereotypical sports drama, sans the preachiness that comes as collateral with telling extraordinary stories. A tense first half is followed by an optimistic second one, giving way to the bullish climax. R Balki stays true to his style of storytelling, relying heavily on the narrative's emotional impact. While Abhishek Bachchan is convincing in his role, Saiyami Kher struggles to do justice to an otherwise compact and well-written story.

Does Ghoomer live up to the hype?

To begin with, Ghoomer barely opted for publicity of any kind save for its premiere at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne earlier this month. This did not leave much room for there to be much hype.

(Ghoomer released in theatres on August 18 | Image: Zee Music Company/YouTube)

That said, Ghoomer will surprise you for its poignant yet assertive storytelling. It has the potential to turn into a runaway hit with good word of mouth. 

Ghoomer's story is its biggest asset

Ghoomer tells the story of Anina Dixit (Kher), a right-hand batswoman on the cusp of her journey as part of the Indian women's cricket team. A freak accident renders her an amputee, seemingly cutting short her cricketing career. The film proceeds to show Anina reclaiming her life and passion, one bowl at a time.

(The story of Ghoomer is inspired by the real-life story of Károly Takács | Image: Zee Music Company/YouTube)

She is led by an alcoholic, washed-up, smart-talking former cricketer Paddy (Bachchan) who is looking for redemption. Armed with a strong story, R Balki extensively makes use of multiple slow-burning sequences to maximise the emotional impact.

The R Balki-Abhishek Bachchan partnership delivers

R Balki and Abhishek Bachchan previously collaborated on Paa (2009). The overall impact of his presence in Ghoomer is reminiscent of that film. Bachchan, as Paddy, short for Padam Singh Sodhi, lacks impact initially but soon eases into the role, thereafter shouldering the strong story.

(Abhishek Bachchan plays Padam Singh Sodhi in Ghoomer | Image: Zee Music Company/YouTube)

Though Ghoomer is no Paa, the choice to work with Bachchan is a strategic one on the director's part. He opts for a capable actor with a neutral screen presence to let the direction and story - the real heroes - shine through. 

Saiyami Kher is sincere but falters as the lead

Saiyami Kher is earnest as Anina Dixit. The narrative, sadly, needed somebody who could bring some individuality to the central character. Kher gets the gait and the look of a batswoman correct, courtesy her short-lived background in the sport as a fast-bowler for the Maharashtra state cricket team. The weak acting, however, makes one wonder why she was chosen for what could have potentially been a career-defining role for a stronger actor. The amputated arm commands attention on screen - a saving grace for Kher. 

Ghoomer has many big moments to look forward to

The film has a good patterned pace oscillating between hard-hitting moments and softer in-betweens. The argument at the send off dinner where Paddy berates Anina for not being able to hit two drunkenly thrown balls at the selections establishes the tone for the stomach-dropping accident to follow. Anina's name being highlighted as a palindrome impresses on the viewer - and the protagonist. This marks the beginning of her transition from a right-handed batswoman to a left-arm bowler. 

(Saiyami Kher, who headlines Ghoomer, has a professional background in cricket | Image: Zee Music Company/YouTube)

A standout moment in the film is Paddy telling her to train her left arm to earn the right to bowl for India and so she sets off on it, building her own pitch. It makes for a well-shot montage of not just Anina's passion for the sport but also of her embracing her new reality. This is more about Anina than cricket, an important part of her character arc. For all the mundane moments the montage carries, it makes for one of the most heartening sequences of the film.

A stellar climax peppered with a strong cameo

The climax takes the cake, defining the film. The match victory, validating and crowning Anina's journey features several glimpses of Amitabh Bachchan, as himself, mirroring the audience's reactions of dread and pride through the nail-biting sequence.

(Amitabh Bachchan features in a short but impactful cameo | Image: Zee Music Company/YouTube)

Kher's inexperience does not impact Ghoomer here as the match is too crucial to be diluted by anything. Bachchan's Paddy holds his own in the sequence with a quiet yet shaky confidence, reminiscent of the final match from Chak De India (2007).

Watch it or skip it

One will walk into Ghoomer not expecting much but will leave touched, and maybe even elated. It is a staple R Balki directorial and adds yet another one-of-a-kind story to the filmmaker's repertoire boasting of works like Cheeni Kum, Paa, English Vinglish and Pad Man to name a few. Ghoomer makes for a a worthy watch.

Bottomline

A film with potential to be fondly remembered several years down the line, Ghoomer is a crisply made story with its humane touch as its strongest pillar. The fact that it is heavily inspired by a real-life story almost manages to do away with the shortcomings of a humdrum cast. Bachchan is predictable and Kher is earnest but lacking. What we have here is more of a casting misfire as opposed to a story flaw. 

(Rating: 3/5)