Sports in India is much more than just the game and Kashyap tries to throw the spotlight on that, but he tries to land too many punches, and in doing so, misses the mark.

If you like realistic cinema with some fine writing and kickass performances, Mukkabaaz will not disappoint you a bit. The biggest takeaway is that it is a courageous film that does not shy away from calling a spade a spade. Anurag Kashyap holds together the elements with finesse appealing to all cinema lovers.

Mukkabaaz is a bracing start to the movie year—overstuffed, enjoyable and urgent. It doesn’t have big stars, but feels like a commercial movie in a way that Bombay Velvet didn’t.

The realistic finale which is more about off-bout negotiations than a knock-out punch end Mukkabaaz in a low key manner. But “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” (with a big dose of sarcasm) instead of “The End” plate, after the disclaimer in the finale, is where Kashyap knocks it out of the park. Just as he does in naming his chief villain — a Brahmin, mind you — Bhagwan. Chuckle along and ponder some.

It’s a delightful ringside view of athletes trying to make it in sports that are considered insignificant in India. Plus, how many times can you boast of watching a Hindi film that has flawed, but ferocious leads?

Kashyap’s trademark caustic humour and tendency to upturn expectations serve him well in many moments. There are scenes in Mukkabaaz that will not find place in a regular film, including Bhagwan’s humiliation of Shravan and the tense conversation between Sanjay and Bhagwan.