Much to the excitement of Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) fans, director Unni Sivalingam announced that his upcoming film Balti will be based on the sport of kabaddi. It has been revealed that the Tamil-Malayalam bilingual sports action drama will feature at least seven real PKL players.
PKL Players To Make Acting Debut
Speaking at a pre-release event, the director emphasized the commitment to realism, saying, bring real pro kabaddi players on the board was a better idea than training actors.
“The film’s story is set in the border region of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. It revolves around four boys who are Kabaddi players and how they use the tricks of their sport to score over their rivals. Shane Nigam, Shanthanu and the other actors underwent a month-long training camp in Kabaddi to make them look authentic. This apart, instead of training actors, we thought it would be better if we could get actual players to act in the film. So, we have at least seven of those in the action sequences in the film are real Pro-Kabaddi league players,” said Unni Sivalingam.
Set in the border regions of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Balti follows the story of four young Kabaddi players who use their sporting skills to outwit rivals. Leading the cast are Shane Nigam and Shanthanu Baghyaraj, who, along with others, underwent a month-long Kabaddi training camp.
The film marks a milestone for Shane Nigam, who plays the fearless raider Udhayan-his 25th film. Also starring are Preethi Asrani, Selvaraghavan as Porthamarai Bhairavan, and Alphonse Puthren (of Premam fame) as the menacing gangster Soda Babu.
In an exciting development, Balti has also tied up with the PKL team Tamil Thalaivas, further solidifying its connection to the sport.
Also Read: Top Players With Most Super 10s In PKL History
Originally slated for an August 29 release during Onam, the film’s launch has now been postponed to September 26, 2025.
Produced by Santhosh T Kuruvilla and Binu George Alexander under the banners of STK Frames and Binu George Alexander Productions, Balti boasts cinematography by Alex J Pulickal, music by Sai Abhyankkar, and editing by Shivkumar V. Panicker. The film’s action sequences are choreographed by Action Sandhosh and Vicky, with art direction by Ashik S and costumes by Melwy J.
