On June 7, 2025, Temba Bavuma stood tall—not in height, but in grit—as he led South Africa to their first-ever ICC World Test Championship victory against Australia. Long mocked for his short stature and often overlooked even as captain, Bavuma silenced critics and emerged as the beating heart of the team, playing through a hamstring injury and societal bias to script history.
Bavuma’s success defies the textbook sports narrative where glory is reserved for those already deemed heroes. It’s a theme that resonates powerfully in Khalid Rahman’s Malayalam film Alappuzha Gymkhana, streaming on SonyLiv. Like Bavuma, the film’s protagonist Shifas, a diminutive underdog boxer, breaks expectations in the ring—stating pointedly after a win, “Being tall doesn’t make you big.”
Rather than glorify easy victories, Alappuzha Gymkhana spotlights the internal battles of amateur boxers still finding their footing. Rahman, co-writing with Sreeni Saseendran, crafts a refreshing sports narrative that values vulnerability over victory. Lead actor Naslen as Jojo Johnson is more cheerleader than champion—a playful, affable teammate who wins hearts with Ali-esque quips, not punches.
This new sports cinema wave, evident in films like Lubber Pandhu, Kacchey Limbu, and Godha, challenges tired tropes. Whether it’s a veteran-vs-rookie ego clash, a woman athlete asserting her space, or a hero losing for the right reasons, these stories explore failure, friendship, identity, and quiet resistance.
Temba Bavuma’s story, much like these films, proves that greatness isn’t about the loudest cheer or the flashiest moves—but about quiet resilience, courage, and rewriting the script others wrote for you.
#UnderdogSpirit
#NewAgeSportsCinema
#BavumaVictory
#BeyondTheScoreboard