Chatha Pacha movie review: Gets the dynamics of WWE right, but lacks a compelling narrative

Every minute aspect about World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) wrestlers, ranging from their signature moves to their individual body dimensions, is imprinted in the memories of a generation that grew up in the 1990s. Debutant filmmaker Adhvaith Nayar’s Chatha Pacha attempts to tap into this enduring nostalgia of the WWE trump card-playing generation.

On the surface, it appears the makers got a lot of it right, from replicating the signature moves of Undertaker and Rey Mysterio to recreating the mood of the wrestling ring with a local touch. Some of the fights in the ring have an unmistakable rhythm to them, which is further elevated by a few standout performers. But, scratch a little, and there emerges the shaky foundation, which could fall with even a weak kick, let alone a chokeslam.

Written by Sanoop Thykoodam, Chatha Pacha’s narrative revolves around a group of youngsters from lower-income backgrounds trying to create an entertainment wrestling franchise, modelled on WWE, in Kochi. They have roadblocks galore, including local goons and businessmen, scheming politicians, and some deep personal misunderstandings between two of its organisers. Yet, it takes off and flies high, as the film attempts to tell us through the numerous reaction shots of its young and old spectators.

But the weak conflict brings down the movie. We are never emotionally invested in the film, even when wowed by some of the strikingly choreographed stunts. The conflict revolves around the misunderstandings between Vetri (Roshan Mathew) and Savio (Arjun Ashokan), which a rival seeks to take advantage of. Vetri’s character is written as someone who can’t think for himself and acts according to what others tell him in each situation, almost like a wind-up toy. Roshan’s intensity on screen saves the character to an extent, but the conflict fails to make an impact.

Some of the wrestling characters were imaginatively created, especially Kadalkomban (played with a lot of heart by Dartagnan Sabu), Bhasmasuran, or the gig worker who doubles up as a wrestler with some stinging moves. The much-hyped superstar cameo turned out to be the weakest portion of Chatha Pacha, as every department, from writing to makeup, hit the wrong notes, turning his entry into a sorry spectacle. In the middle of one of the best phases in his long career, this cameo becomes a rare aberration. One of the memorable performances was from child actor Vedhika Sreekumar, who appears to be a natural performer, although at times she was made to mouth some lines well beyond her age.

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The popularity of WWE owed more to the careful scripting of its fight sequences, even though it had hardly any similarity to the actual sport of wrestling. Chatha Pacha gets the dynamics of WWE right, but fails to script a compelling narrative. It becomes an unfortunate case of falling flat while making a stylish signature move.

Chatha Pacha is currently running in theatres