It takes almost an hour for Chatha Pacha: The Ring of Rowdies to deliver what it promises from the outset: glorious, over-the-top WWE-style action, or as the film’s world calls it, ‘Costume Gusthi’. What follows is an extended 20-30 minute set piece that works superbly on its own. If you are, or once were, a WWE (formerly WWF) fan, this stretch is an outright treat. It is a striking amalgamation of craft — adrenaline-pumping yet nostalgia-inducing action choreography, rousing music, fluid camera movements, seamless editing, and well-trained actors flaunting impressive physicality and flexibility. The kicks, throws, locks, and jaw-dropping aerial attacks evoke memories of icons like Shawn Michaels, Hulk Hogan, John Cena, Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio, and Rob Van Dam — performers who weren’t merely wrestlers but icons for an entire generation. For them, Chatha Pacha holds undeniable appeal. One only wishes the writing had received the same degree of attention.
Director: Adhvaith Nayar
Cast: Arjun Ashokan, Roshan Mathew, Ishan Shoukath, Vishak Nair
Rating: 3/5
Set in Mattancherry, a vibrant melting pot of cultures with a rich wrestling legacy, the film follows a group of youngsters dismissed as wastrels by the locals, who band together to introduce a flamboyant, theatrical alternative to the traditional Gatta Gusthi. That is the film’s macro premise. On a micro level, it unfolds as a familiar tale of brotherhood, conflict, betrayal, and eventual reunion.
Debutant director Adhvaith Nayar, who also pens the story, demonstrates commendable confidence in staging the wrestling sequences but falters when handling the drama that forms the film’s backbone. The thread connecting the three brothers is basic but potentially effective for a film uninterested in deep nuance. However, the conflicts remain severely undercooked, which in turn weakens the emotional payoff. This lack of narrative heft becomes glaring in the second half, where the film leans excessively on the climactic showdown and a heavily hyped cameo. Despite the buildup, the cameo fails to land, functioning more as a filler than as a genuine elevation of the experience. Also, whoever designed the character's unintentionally funny look deserves an Undertaker stare.
Films of this scale and ambition are rare in Malayalam cinema, and with robust technical backing, the makers deliver a genuinely grand theatrical experience. But what truly sets WWE apart is its emphasis on storytelling and character motives designed to carefully control the audience’s emotions. Ironically, Chatha Pacha, conceived as a homage to this very peculiar ‘sports-entertainment’ grammar, falters on that front.
Like most sports dramas, Chatha Pacha carries the flavour of an underdog story. But for such films to resonate, the audience must root for the underdogs. Here, the film does not spend enough time developing its characters to earn that emotional investment. The writing struggles to forge strong connections, despite the actors' best efforts. Arjun Ashokan’s Savio emerges as the most convincingly written role, while the others remain largely one-dimensional. Vishak Nair’s Cherian, for instance, is the familiar self-centred, spoilt manipulator who thrives on fanning rivalries. Though Vishak approaches the part with animated energy, the character offers little on paper to truly support him. The same holds for Roshan Mathew, who looks menacing like never before while playing a reckless ruffian, Vetri. Though his relationship with Savio forms the film’s emotional core, the writing strangely refuses to delve deeper.
That said, the actors, including the relatively lesser-known faces, deserve credit for the sheer effort poured into the action. The stunts are audacious and visibly risky, but months of preparation show. Each performer brings a distinct physicality and style: Arjun Ashokan is bulky and muscular, while Roshan Mathew and Ishan Shoukath sport a leaner, ripped presence. Carmen S Mathew’s feisty Nitro Kili and Dartagnan Sabu’s imposing giant leave a strong impression. The choreography smartly incorporates iconic wrestling moves — Sweet Chin Music, chokeslams, spinebusters, 619, spear, RKO, frog splash, and more — executed with the speed and agility of seasoned pro wrestlers. WWE has never been about who wins, but about how convincingly the performers sell the spectacle. On those terms, the wrestlers of Chatha Pacha emerge victorious.