​Kids Know About Cricket But Not About Kabaddi Says Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari

By News Helpline – 23rd January 2020

Filmmaker Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari said that one of the reasons for Panga is to make new generation aware about our oldest sports, Kabaddi.

Director Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, the woman behind the critically acclaimed Nil Battey Sannata and the box-office sweetener Bareilly Ki Barfi, is ready to break the mould with forthcoming sports drama Panga.

Talking about her reasons for the making the film, Ashwiny said, “We all have played Kabaddi, man and woman Kababdi, but this current generation doesn’t know anything about this sport. Our new generation knows about football, cricket, volleyball and basketball, but if ask them about Kabaddi, they have no clue. Even this generation didn’t know much about Hockey. I also wanted to make this film and tell new generation that Kabaddi is our oldest game and this needs to be seen”

“The way we have written it, the film is not based on real-life and this is not an autobiography, which is usually the case with sports drama films. We have written most of the thing in manner they should be. The film also speaks about things which could be done” added Ashwiny.

Set in Bhopal, Panga follows the journey of an ex-kabaddi player named Jaya (Kangana Ranaut). A railway employee and mother, Jaya decides to make a comeback—a tough call. She meets up with another sportswoman (Richa Chadha), who encourages her to get back in the court. But Jaya has responsibilities; she’s nearing middle-age and her family, though supportive, needs fending for. The competition, too, has gotten tougher.

The film also stars Jassie Gill and Neena Gupta in pivotal roles. The film releases on 24th January 2020.