VARIOUS

SALAA KHADOOS - BD

ADI TOMAR HAD A DREAM: TO WIN THE BOXING GOLD FOR INDIA. INSTEAD HE LANGUISHED IN A NIGHTMARE FOR A DECADE: HIS GLOVES WERE SPIKED DURING AN ALL IMPORTANT MATCH, BLINDING HIM IN THE ARENA, AND HANDING THE MATCH TO HIS UNDESERVING OPPONENT A MEDIOCRE BOXER BUT A POLITICAL POWERHOUSE. THE CULPRIT WAS HIS OWN COACH, DEV KHATRI. SHATTERED BY HIS LOSS, AND DISILLUSIONED BY THE STATE OF INDIAN BOXING, ADI TURNED TO A LIFE OF CYNICAL SELF-DESTRUCTION: BOOZE, BROTHELS AND BAR-FIGHTS. UNTIL LOYAL FRIENDS SOMEHOW BRING HIM BACK TO BOXING, THIS TIME AS THE COACH OF THE LOWLY RATED INDIAN WOMEN?S BOXING TEAM. HIS OUTSPOKEN HONESTY SENDS JITTERS THROUGH HIS OLD ADVERSARIES, AND HE IS SOON TRANSFERRED TO CHENNAI THE SIBERIA OF INDIAN BOXING. BUT ADI CONTINUES TO DREAM: THIS TIME FOR A FREE-SPIRITED, FIERY YOUNG WOMAN FROM THE FISHING COMMUNITY: MADHI. SHE HAS NO TRAINING, BUT TONS OF RAW TALENT. ADI SPOTS IN HER A CHAMPION THAT COULD BRING INDIA THE GOLD THAT HE WAS ROBBED OFF. ALL HE NEEDS IS TO TRAIN HER? BUT THAT IS THE LAST THING SHE WANTS. SHE LOVES TO PICK FIGHTS OUTSIDE THE ARENA, BUT HAS NO INTEREST IN ENTERING IT. HAVING SEEN HER ELDER SISTER?S STRUGGLES IN THE FIELD OF WOMEN?S BOXING SHE IS VISCERALLY AVERSE TO IT. THAT WORLD IS SYNONYMOUS FOR HER WITH NEPOTISM, WITH LASCIVIOUS MEN WITH NO INTEREST IN BOXING AND ALL INTEREST IN EXPLOITING THE NEEDY FEMALE BOXERS. ADI MUST FIRST EARN HER TRUST, THEN TAME HER IMPETUOSITY, AND FINALLY MAKE HER DREAM? ALL THIS IN JUST NINE MONTHS BEFORE THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. AND SO BEGINS AN UNEASY PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN A MAN WHO LOVES HIS SPORT AND A GIRL WHO LOVES HER FREEDOM. RIGOR AND REBELLION, STRUCTURE AND FREE SPIRIT COLLIDE. IT IS THE BEGINNING OF A BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP? AND A JOURNEY TOWARDS AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM.