Alappuzha Gymkhana

Jojo Johnson, Naslen, and his four friends from Alappuzha—David “DJ” John, Shine Tom Chacko, Shifas “Valuth” Ahmed, Sandeep Pradeep, Shifas “Cheruth” Ali, Franco Francis, and Shanavas, Shiva Hariharan—have just finished their 12th-grade board exams. While Shanavas passes, the rest fail, leaving their prospects of college admission uncertain.

After Valuth’s flirtation with a state-level boxer’s girlfriend Maria leads to a scuffle, Jojo begins researching alternative paths to college and discovers that sports quota admissions through boxing tournaments could be a viable route. The group decides to pursue boxing and enrolls at the local Alappuzha Gymkhana boxing school, under coach Salim, Kottayam Nazeer. Shanavas soon loses interest and quits, while DJ switches to wrestling. Jojo, Valuth, and Cheruth persist and are mentored by Antony Joshua, a former student of Salim and a current state-level boxer training for the South Asia Championship, Lukman Avaran. Antony presses them hard with a strict training and diet regime, pushing their bodies to the limit as they chase a chance at competitive boxing glory.

To earn a spot in the Kerala State Amateur Boxing Championship, the trio competes in the Alappuzha District Boxing Selection Championship, where they qualify alongside three other boxers: Deepak Panikkar, Ganapathi S Poduval; Kiran, Shon Joy; and Christopher, Karthik. As the newly formed district team readies for the state-level tournament, Jojo develops feelings for Natasha, a fellow boxer from Alappuzha, though she remains uninterested, keeping the romance subtle and unrequited for the moment, Anagha Maya Ravi.

At the championship venue, Jojo is unexpectedly bumped into a higher weight category due to overeating. The matches begin with a string of setbacks: Christopher loses his bout, followed by Valuth. Cheruth earns a triumphant win and receives wide support, while Jojo steps into the ring with determination but loses. Kiran shows grit but loses by a narrow margin, fueling the team’s resolve. Deepak delivers a strong performance but abruptly walks away mid-match after threats aimed at his teammates and family escalate the tension. This stress triggers Antony—already revealed as a suspended boxer with a history of violence—to act, assaulting the person who had issued the threats. With the situation spiraling, the team withdraws from the tournament during Cheruth’s second-round bout. On their way out, they are ambushed by a group of men, but they defend themselves using the very boxing skills they’ve trained so hard to master, standing their ground as a unit.

Back home in Alappuzha, Natasha unexpectedly confesses her love for Deepak, giving Jojo some much-needed closure and a chance to step back from the emotional whirlwind. The experience leaves the group reenergized, and they decide to train even harder and come back the following year. Jojo takes on the role of team manager, while Shanavas and DJ prepare to rejoin the squad, ready to push themselves further in pursuit of their shared dream.

This journey—from failed exams to a disciplined boxing path—highlights how friendship, resilience, and honest loyalties can steer a group toward hope, even when the odds are stacked against them. The narrative threads of ambition, romance, mentorship, and the pressure of competition weave a steady, hopeful arc about second chances and the power of teamwork.

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 10:21