Habaddi (2019)

Habaddi (Kabaddi with an H) is a fine kids' film but one whose plot points I can't agree with. For starters, the title is not really relevant here because the lead kid (with a stutter) never utters the word 'kabaddi' (an Indian sport) nor does he attempt to. So, I don't know if the kid actually utters it as 'habaddi'. Secondly, I cannot sympathise with the kid because he resorts to stealing to make random contraptions and the film tends to celebrate it, which I can never agree with. He does it so that he could go to Mumbai to meet his sweetheart, and ends up joining a kabaddi team. A lot happens before this story arc, but by the time the climax stands up to welcome me, I had lost interest. Nevertheless, there are a few quirky elements in Habaddi (like the legend of the naked ghost, for instance) that kept me hooked, which is why I would tag it as an average film. May not be worth showing it to kids because of its wrong messaging about stealing. I don't find that funny. **Grade C**.

(Reviewed during its Australian premiere at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM).)