Balti Review: Balti is a Malayalam-Tamil bilingual Sports Action drama released on September 26, 2025. This unusual directorial debut by Unni Sivalingam for the 25th time features Shane Nigam as the lead role opposite Shanthnu Bhagyaraj, Preethi Asrani, Selvaraghavan, Poornima Indrajith, and the acting debut of Alphonse Puthren. Balti, spun with kabaddi as a backdrop, entwines sports, friendship, betrayal, and gritty action.
The movie Balti features the Panjami Raiders, an established kabaddi team in Velampalayam, which is very near to the border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. For them, kabaddi is not just a gameplay activity; it is passion and pride. The main character in the movie is played by Shane Nigam as Udhayan, who is busy with ambition, loyalties, and personal woes. Beyond the playfield, there’s a jarring reality of rivalries, betrayals, and mafia wars threatening the team’s rise that add their layers of intensity.
At the centre of action emerges the purely raw physicality of kabaddi, beside which emotional dramas and power plays have been interwoven. Unni Sivalingam has managed, remarkably, his very first outing, fast-paced action, and character-centered storylines. The authenticity of the kabaddi scenes is lent by Alex J. Pulickal as Sai Abhyankkar’s music uplifts both the adrenaline-laced moments and the softest cradles of emotion. However, above all that, Alphonse Puthren as Soda Babu, with a characterization of a ruthless gangster that was terrify memorable.
Such an intriguing kabaddi backdrop along with reasonably real action scenes
Shane Nigam gave an excellent and extreme portrayal in a 25th film that bagged many benefits
Alphonse Puthren’s good debut performance as Soda Babu
Such as palatable cinematography and real shooting locations
Minus Points
Partly predictable plot line
A little stretched run time Hindered by repetitive subplots
Had some opportunity to explore supporting characters
Balti is a raw action-emotional sports drama that does justice with Kabaddi as a central theme. The cons do get offset by other great performances and making a real note, making it worth a visit in a theater, particularly for sport-drama buffs.
Balti Review: Shane Nigam’s Kabaddi Drama – A Worthy Theatrical Experience
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