Alappuzha Gymkhana: Naslen, the three girls and the changing definition of love

Hindustan Times

14-06-2025

Alappuzha Gymkhana starts with Jojo Johnson (Naslen) declaring to his friends that irrespective of the verdict in the plus-two results, they are going to mark the occasion with some local toddy. He and some of his friends fail to make the cut, and drown the news with a solid glass. This sets the tone for the movie with director Khalid Rahman telling us that these lads do not take them seriously, so the audience too do take the light approach.
From Alappuzha Gymkhana to Maranamass, catch all the latest Malayalam releases on OTTplay Premium
The film maintains this vibe throughout, landing in the happy place that even getting punched in the face or losing out on the girl does not mean the end of the world. It is the Gen Z world, where moving on seems to be go-to the mantra and situationships are accepted by both genders. Even when a girl tells Jojo that she wants her boyfriend to be a good 'kisser', it doesn't rile him that he goes after her, he just shrugs it off and moves on to the next crush. Though a sports comedy, the film does give space for Jojo to chase his romantic trysts too.
For Jojo Johnson, one committed girlfriend doesn't bar him from pursuing other crushes. After striking up a conversation with Anupama (Nanda Nishanth), Jojo gets off the boat and without batting an eyelid directly heads to meet Sherin. Though Sherin (Noila Francy) deserved some character arc or any background other than a girl in love with Jojo, the film ensures that she is firmly in today's world.
Khalid Rahman, who has co-written the script with
Sreeni Saseendran, does not portray them as naive girls, who are not aware of boys and their ways. Anupama outrightly asks Jojo what kind of kiss he would prefer, going on to list the various types and poor Jojo feels the heat and withdraws from the moment.
This clearly shows that for all his talks about pursuing his crush and not preferring to stay in the bestie zone, Jojo doesn't quite take the plunge when the situation arises. This 'pressure' that puts him off returns when he faces his opponent in the ring. With Jojo, Khalid paints a regular bloke, facing setbacks in life and love.
Through the decades, we have had heroes who cannot take 'No' for an answer from a woman. Even Asif Ali's Govind in Uyare resorts to throwing acid on his girlfriend (Parvathy Thiruvothu) after she calls it quits due to his toxic behaviour.
So, it is a welcome relief that our hero in the 2025 Malayalam movie takes the dismissal in his chin. His flirtations and quick rebound, depicts his resilience in a way and the casualness with which youngsters approach relationships. A 'No' from a girl doesn't mean you go after her, seeking revenge. This is not to say that stalking or attacks over romantic advances do not happen in the real world or haven't seen a spike in recent years, but it is good to see that at least some films have moved on from 'Pyaar ek hi baar hota hain' rhetoric of the Kuch Kuch Hota Hai days.
We get one more instance in the film as Natasha (a confident Anagha Ravi) too rebuffs Jojo for Deepak (Ganapathi). But Jojo doesn't take the path of a jilted lover and shares it with Deepak promptly.
This attitude is also reflected when he and his entire team loses in the competition. But even as they return bruised and beaten, that too in an ambulance, Jojo confidently says that they will be back in the game next year and win as champions. But Khalid Rahman also ensures that the character arc remains intact, as Jojo declares himself to be the team manager, putting his ability to converse and convince to good use.
All these situations come wrapped in humor, with jokes landing one after the other. The supporting cast fully backs the leading man, and Vishnu Vijay's music adds to the peppiness of the film. All in all, Alappuzha Gymkhana remains a fun movie, which is well in tune with today's times, resonating with the younger audiences.