With Godha Basil Joseph has surely established himself as one of the dependable directors of Mollywood. The movie which revolves around wrestling is filled with comic moments and serious moments which have not failed to deliver. The direction is top notch and the music from Shan Rahman also deserves mention. The movie is well nit together with excellent editing and absence of any unnecessary scenes have surely contributed to the absence of any lag. The movie is more of a heroine movie with Wamiqqa Gabbi playing a more prominent role than Tovino Thomas. But the real star of the movie isRanjia Panikar who steels the show with his fine acting proving there is more to him as an actor than a script writer. The first fast half is fast flowing filled with humorous moments while the second half has more of a serious tone. Godha surely is a full time entertainer and arguably the beat sports movie in Malayalam film industry till date. Be sure mot to miss the movie as it will get your spirits high

Some people might feel compelled to dismiss Godha as a poor man's Dangal. There are quite a few similarities especially with regard to the characters. There is the disillusioned patriarchal ex-wrestler (like Aamir in Dangal). The younger bumbling male wrestler who inspires and provides support to the aspiring female wrestler. And at the center is the fierce Punjabi female wrestler who gets support in the comparitively liberal state of Kerala. But Godha, set in both Kerala and Punjab, is a lot funnier than Dangal and takes itself a lot less seriously. I am sure my opinion is slightly biased because I am a Malayali. A more unbiased person might say that Godha is more of a comedic film about life in a Kerala village which is also a sports drama, while Dangal is a serious sports-drama with authentic wrestling scenes.

Wamiqa Gabbi, the wrestling heroine is more charming than Fathima Sana Shaikh. Though her wrestling skills leave a lot to be desired. But Wamiqa is a star. Not only does she have a great screen presence, she is a decent actress. Despite not having too many dialogs, she easily steals the thunder from both Tovino Thomas and Renji Panicker.

The film itself did have serious issues with dubbing and editing. Some scenes ended quite abruptly. The writing is uniformly shoddy. The wrestling scenes are laughable when compared to the ones in Dangal. But the film never bores you despite never rising above a certain level. Tovino's description of the connection between a Malayali and beef roast was hilarious and the scene was received with many claps and whistles in the theater. On the other hand, the trivialization of the Gau Raksha Dal beating up a Tamilian was quite cringeworthy. But Malayali filmmakers never bothered with intellectual pollution, often choosing playfulness over fake moralizing.

As when we watch trailer of the movie or the starting we may feel its a recreation of Dangal but then it changes the feel of the movie. I never expected a such wonderful and colorful movie from the Director Basil Joseph.

About the cast, everyone has played a wonderful roles in the movie with perfect timing in comedy & in emotionally scenes. A new actresses is also introduced in this film who played a energetic role in this film. In the case of Tovino and Renji had one of the main roles had played it so well that when Renji Paniker speaks we may get goosebumps.

About the music, Shaan Rahman has proved his excellency in this film. Great Songs and background score as well. As i didn't like some songs in this movie but i'm sure most the people will like.

Overall its good movie which can be viewed by families and contains no adult contents and i hope the people will surely enjoy it...

Sorry if any mistakes and this review will not applicable to every viewers.

Not a lot seems to have changed post 'Kunjiramayanam' for director Basil Joseph. Even though the canvas in 'Godha' seems much bigger, there are quite a bit of similarities between the two films. Youngsters trying to make a mark, a whole bunch of crazy yet supportive villagers, plenty of hit n' miss jokes, the outdated color tone (golden brown), a village with an unusual name (Kannadi Kallu).. almost all tropes from the previous film are very much there, but executed in a better way; rest assured, 'Godha' stays an entertaining fare throughout its runtime of 2 hours.

The writing doesn't go haywire at any point and that is a definite plus. Tovino, Wamiqa and Renji Panicker take up a bulk of the screen time and they do not disappoint. In fact, Wamiqa gets to overshadow Tovino on multiple occasions but the latter does not seem to have a problem with it. While the film is told from the perspective of Tovino's Daasan, it's Wamiqa's Adithi and Renji's Captain who drive the film forward. The first half takes its own sweet time to establish the characters of the village (full of Gatta Gusthi fanatics!) which has got its own history to unfurl. Daasan and his gang are into cricket and this often leads to a clash between cricketers and wrestlers on which sport holds greater leverage at their local playground 'Manayathu Vayal'.

When Daasan is forcibly sent to Punjab for pursuing his M-Tech, he meets Adithi, an aspiring wrestler who hopes to make it big but standing in her way is her own sibling. Circumstances lead both of them to end up back in Kerala and what ensues is the crux of 'Godha'. There is a hilarious bit involving Tamil comedian Bala Saravanan in the first half (malayalees will be able to relate to it quite well!). The second half sees Daasan's gang (Aju Varghese, Biju Kuttan, Kanaran Hareesh, Dharmajan) prominently trying to woo Adhithi. These portions are laced with rib-tickling humour and catchy one-liners. The sportive element, which has recently been played to the hilt post the success of 1983 (Karinkunnam Sixes and Kavi Uddheshichathu..? had volleyball taking center stage, while Georgettan's Pooram and Thoppil Joppan had stories with a kabaddi backdrop; Rakshadhikari Baiju again had cricket as its backbone!) seems to work positively in favour of 'Godha' albeit in a pretty clichéd manner.

The familial exchanges between Captain and his wife add to the overall hilarity. Renji and Parvathy have grown to become Malayalam cinema's favorite dad (add Siddique to that list) and mom lately. Wamiqa (who was earlier seen in Maalai Nerathu Mayakkam) is convincing as a wrestler both in terms of physique and acting chops. Tovino manages to leave a mark whenever he is on screen, and his transformation/coming-of-age is portrayed quite well (that extended climax wasn't really necessary though!). Shaan Rahman repeats his trademark melodies and high-pitched cries ('Aaro Nenjil' is my pick!). Cinematography by Vishnu Sarma is above-par but the color tones lend an archaic 80s/90s look to the flick. Rakesh Mantodi's (Thira) writing manages to strike a decent balance inculcating the essential ingredients of comedy, drama and sport to clinch a clear winner. 'Godha' is a succulent meal while it lasts; nonetheless the viewer is not likely to leave the cinemas with the feel of having watched a classic like 'Dangal', 'Lagaan' or 'Chak De India'. (Simplicity prevails!)

This will certainly be one of the best movies of 2017, the movie belongs to Wamiqa Gabbi, she has done a terrific role which is almost tailor made for her. Tovino and Ranji Paniker have done very well.

There is never a dull moment in the film, it entertains you from start to finish and it does that with a meaningful message.

The support cast of Aju Varghese,Bijukuttan,Darmajan and the rest has also done a decent job, the jokes are refreshingly new,in fact the casting is excellent, all the actors have done justice to their respective roles.

This is a good entertainer, go watch it !!!

It's a really good movie if you take out the final scene in which Tovino wins. It was completely unnecessary.

Basil Joseph's second directorial effort is a notable improvement from his over-ambitious debut Kunjiramayanam. Godha hits the right note in most of the comedic moment despite a few cringe-worthy scenes. Inspired by Dangal but not choosing the same path Basil has created an enjoyable film. Despite the plot going to familiar places, the female lead was given enough importance and wasn't sidelined by the hero after a specific point (that point still exists here) like what usually happens in this kind of film in Malayalam.The songs really helped in elevating certain moments. The direction was more controlled than his previous effort. Basil Joseph is turning into a decent commercial director.

Godha (2017): Sports drama is the only genre which rarely disappoints even if they have clichéd format.They all have the same story of an underdog achieving his success with the help of a coach who lost all the hope.But that is not the case with Godha here,I didn't have even a slightest idea about this film (Not even its trailers,posters) and when I watched it,I loved it.

Plot: Anjaneya Das (Tovino Thomas) hails from a family of wrestlers but loves cricket more. His dad (Renji Panicker) packs him off to Punjab University for his M-Tech, where he meets Aditi Singh (Wamiqa Gabbi), a passionate wrestler. A series of events land them both back in God's Own Country and a new episode of kusthi begins.

My Review: The major pro of Godha is that it never tries to be intense or inspirational as other sports dramas.Godha is a pleasant entertainer with sports backdrop.If it had tried to be other than that,it really would look like a rip-off of Dangal,Sultan and other wrestling movies.

The whole film is a mixture of funny moments stitched together in a competent manner. Even then there are some romantic sequences here and there, which are quite refreshing. Basil manages to create very humorous moments of laughter at those areas. Even when the plot shifts to Punjab or even when it becomes a little more serious about its ultimate goal, director never loses the grip over humor. The movie touches the deep emotional moments of Captain, Adithi and Das very subtly through frames with very minimal dialogues. The dramatization has reduced the novelty of the theme slightly, but still the engrossing factor stays on the screen.

Performances are another strength of the film.Wamiqa Gabbi is show stealer with charming and power packed performance.She is pretty and absolutely convincing as a wrestler. From the beginning, it's her desire to make it big, leopardess-like fights, battle with prejudices and most of all, charm and cuteness that fill the screen with thrill and muscle. It's her single-mindedness that stays with you after the film.

After her it is Renji Panicker,who played hero's father scored with his amazing performance.Tovino Thomas looks handsome and fit. He is really likable in the romantic scenes. the supporting cast including Aju Varghese, Parvathy, Shine Tom Chacko and Sreejith Ravi have done their roles really well.

Godha has one of the best albums of the year.Shaan's songs were perfectly in sync with the mood of the film and he once again creates a musical feel though those BGMs.Especially WOW and Aaro Ninjil are best ones.Vishnu Sharma elevates the film with quality frames and he captures both Punjab and Kerala beauty in perfect way.

So,Godha is one of the best entertainer of the year with its feel good moments,charming performances and soulful music.

My Rating 7.5/10

This movie is basically a story of a girl who loves wrestling and comes to Kerala from Punjab to fulfill her dreams.

This movie went in a perfect pace. It showed us the value of wresting in Kerala. The movie had comedy, a good story and wresting. This movie was a good family entertainer. I liked the acting of the hero and Renji Paniker. The heroine could have improved in some places. Rest of the characters did a great job in this movie. Maybe the ending had something to do with dangal but without any superstars this movie did a great job to shine in the theaters. This movie was not dragged like most of the Malayalam movies. It had nice unforgettable songs too.

Yes I would suggest this movie to everyone I know there has been many wresting movies in India now but this movie is worth a onetime watch.

Notable Acting

Renji Paniker famous for his movies like Jacobs kingdom, ohm shanthi osana, picket 43 and many more.

Tovino Thomas famous for his movies like Ennu ninte mohideen, Charlie and many more.

My Rating 8/10

All the credit goes to the writer and the director. It is commendable that there was not even a single irrelevant scene in the movie(the practice which is prominent in the movies these days). There was a homogeneous mixture of all the ingredients required for a good movie. Also all the cast have done justice to their characters.

The basic theme is wresling and women empowerment similar to the Movie Dangal. However the enire story is different and picturised in a light hearted manner. Casting is excellent and Wamiqua as heroine is wonderful choice since she looks authentic and sweet.Tovino as hero shows progress and promise, I cant imagine anyone else other than him from Malayalam industry now in this role. The background music by Shan rahman is raises the film to another level. Overall nice moie experience. And Basil as the direcor done far better after his debut 'Kunjiramayanam' and shows good cinematic sense now.

I have become a big fan of Tovino after watching Godha. Be it anything - story, direction, performances, camera, comedy scenes or action scenes - it is just excellent. Movies like these need to be supported currently in a generation where jokes on smoking, intoxication and women are qualified as entertainment. The film is about a village where wrestling holds an important place in the lives of villagers. Other than Tovino and heroine Wamiqa, others like Ranji Panicker, Bijukuttan, Dharmajan, Aju Varghese, Harish peradi, Hareesh Perumanna, Mamukoya, Kotayam Pradeep, Srijith Ravi, and the guy who plays Tovino's Tamil friend in Punjab, have give rib tickling performances. Must watch for all.

After Take Off, Godha is another 2017 Malayalam movie that left me quite speechless. I thought of the inevitable comparison this movie would make with big budget movie like Dangal since both deal with the sport of wrestling. Although it may not have been made on a scale like Dangal, it entertains no less. And the credit for that goes to the sincerity and passion involved by the Godha cast and crew, proof that you don't need crores of money to move your audience. Basil Joseph's direction is excellent. There's lot of humor and good music as well. Wamiqa Gabbi, the Punjabi actor, gets as much footage as her co-star Tovino Thomas and impresses us with her action or emotive scenes as Aditi Singh. Tovino too gives an admirable performance..funny at most times yet stuns us especially with his wrestling scenes. Renji Panicker as Tovino's father and a former wrestler deserves a huge applause for the physical transformation he underwent for his role that would put most young actors or even the superstars of Malayalam cinema to shame. After Jacobinte Swargarajyam, I'm glad a man of his talent got a movie like this where he's not pushed to one corner as just another character actor. Rest of the cast too were first rate especially some hilarious performances from Aju Varghese, Bala Saravanan, Hareesh Perumanna or Bijukuttan. Another actor whom I must mention here is Vineet Sharma who plays Aditi's brother. His role may be small but he was unforgettable.

There were minor issues too. For instance in most of the wrestling matches shown, the moves were repetitive but watch out for the climax match - it blew away whatever average impression I may have had with the earlier choreography. Few of the dialogues especially Aditi's anguish about how women are treated could have been trimmed. And there were some scenes initially too where the cricket skills of few characters are highlighted which were unnecessary. But the movie as a whole more than made up for any flaw I could think of.

If Dangal may have inspired more women to get into wrestling or sports in general, Godha does it too. Malayalam film industry should feel very proud.

Good effort from a young Malayalam director. Reminds the good nostalgic Malayalam movies of nineteen indeed coping with the tastes of new generations. Film has managed to bring together varying Indian culture in a satirical way.Wamiqa gabbi,Renji Panicker,Aju Varghese done their roles well.

Godha Had A Big Release This Weekend Alongside Achayans And Adventures Of Omanakuttan For A Really Tight Competition.

Godha Has Adapted Many OF The Dangal Elements Into The Film, Encompassing The Viewers With Astounding Camera Work And Mind Blowing Cinematography Alongside The Decent Yet Satisfying Storyline. The Spotlight However Goes To REnji PAnicker , Who Has Shined Alongside A Star Cast Of Tovino Thomas, Aju Varghese And The Debutant Actress Wamiqa Gabbi. The Mohanlal References By Tovino Earned The Cheers And Praises From The Crowd As The Theatre Burst Into Claps And Whistles.

Many Viewers Will Find The Storyline And The Screenplay Quite Boring , Especially The 2nd Half, Wheereas The Director Has Succeeded In Bringing Comedic Elements Into Such A Motivating And Inspirational Film.

Overall, Godha Is A Sure Shot Success, Considering The Other Two Film Releasing Alongside Is Getting Negative - Avg. Reports.

My Rating - 7.9/10