Director Unni Sivalingam is excited to share that the upcoming Tamil-Malayalam bilingual sports action drama ‘Balti’ prominently features the sport of Kabaddi. He revealed in a recent media interaction that at least seven real Pro Kabaddi league players have been cast in the film, specifically in the action sequences that highlight the sport.
Film Overview
The storyline is set in the border region of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, focusing on four boys who are passionate Kabaddi players. It illustrates how they utilize the techniques of Kabaddi to outsmart their opponents. Shane Nigam, Shanthanu Baghyaraj, and the rest of the cast underwent a month-long Kabaddi training camp to ensure authenticity in their performances. However, instead of solely training actors, Sivalingam decided to include actual players to enhance the film’s realism.
Collaborations and Characters
Interestingly, ‘Balti’ has partnered with the Pro Kabaddi league team Tamil Thalaivas, representing Tamil Nadu. The film has recently unveiled the look of actor Akshay Radhakrishnan, who portrays a character named Pratheep.
Originally set to release worldwide on August 29 for Onam, the film’s premiere has now been rescheduled to September 26. Shane Nigam stars as Udhayan, a fearless raider who instills fear in the defense of rival teams. Notably, this film marks an important milestone in Nigam’s career as it is his 25th project.
In addition to Shane Nigam, the film features Preethi Asrani and Shanthanu Baghyaraj in key roles. Director Alphonse Puthren, known for the blockbuster ‘Premam,’ will make an appearance as a cold-blooded gangster named Soda Babu. Shanthanu Baghyaraj will play a character named Kumar, while Selvaraghavan portrays Porthamarai Bhairavan.
Production Team
Written and directed by Unni Sivalingam, ‘Balti’ is being produced by Santhosh T. Kuruvilla and Binu George Alexander under the banners of STK Frames and Binu George Alexander Productions, respectively. The cinematography is handled by Alex J. Pulickal, with art direction by Ashik S. Music for the film is composed by the young sensation Sai Abhyankkar. Editing is done by Shivkumar V. Panicker, and costumes are designed by Melwy J. With a focus on high-action sequences, the film employs two renowned stunt masters, Action Sandhosh and Vicky.