Alappuzha Gymkhana: Director Khalid Rahman opens up on his new boxing film, box office clash with Mammootty's Bazooka and more

Dubai: Malayalam filmmaker Khalid Rahman, known for his hits such as Unda, Love and Thallumaala, returns to theatres with Alappuzha Gymkhana, a boxing-based sports comedy featuring rising stars Naslen, Lukman Avaran, and Anagha Ravi. It's out in the UAE cinemas now and clashes with Mammootty’s Bazooka and Basil Joseph’s Maranamas. But Rahman isn’t too worried.

“I never choose my next film based on scale,” said Rahman in an interview with OTTplay.

“I cracked this idea quickly, and it’s personal. It’s about a sport I love, and it brings back memories of my own teenage years when I trained in boxing just for fun.”

Instead of banking on superstars post-Thallumaala, Rahman co-wrote and co-produced Alappuzha Gymkhana, placing his faith in a young ensemble cast.

“It’s not a single-hero boxing film. I needed fresh talent who would give their all—and they did. They trained, they got in shape, and they lived the sport,” he added in the same interview.

Though Rahman is often credited with having a sharp sense of the youth’s pulse, he dismisses the idea. “I don’t study the audience. I make what I’d want to watch in a theatre.”

On whether he drew inspiration from iconic boxing films like Rocky or Sarpatta Parambarai, Rahman insists this story is entirely rooted in his own life. “This didn’t come from any Hollywood film. It came from our time learning boxing during higher secondary—for reasons best known to teenagers,” he laughs.

The physical demands on the cast were significant, but Rahman says it was non-negotiable. “We told them upfront: they had to look the part, or we risked injuries and delays. Thankfully, everyone showed up with the right mindset.”

With actors like Naslen consistently winning over fans, Rahman says casting was based on instinct and familiarity.

“Most of them I’ve worked with before. I knew how to use their strengths.”