Unni Sivalingam’s ‘Balti’ has a few writing issues, but it’s an entertaining watch
- Trinity Auditorium
- Sep 27
- 1 min read
Shane Nigam, Shanthnu, and a few others play kabaddi players who are drawn into a bigger game, thanks but no thanks to loan sharks. The action is top-notch, and their fight for survival is a satisfying watch, even if you feel the drama needed better writing. That was the short review. A longer review follows, and it may contain spoilers.
The world of Balti is set in the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border, and it is built around impoverished people from a “colony”. Shane Nigam plays Udhayan, a butcher. Shanthnu plays Kumar. Siva Hariharan and Jeckson Johnson (one of them sells lottery tickets) complete this group of friends. They are skilled kabaddi players, and they use the sport to vent their aggression and frustration. The director Unni Sivalingam works closely with the cinematographer Alex J Pulickal to convey the rush of energy in every scene. During the kabaddi sequences, the camera moves like one of the players. It stays close, at eye level, and rarely goes for establishing shots. Even the fights are choreographed like the raids in kabaddi. Early on, as Udhayan and his friends are cornered by the police, they use their signature moves to dodge them. A huge, huge shoutout to the stunt choreographers, Action Santhosh and Vicky. They make the movie.
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