The movie began on a promising note. Body shaming, a health issue, and a woman who is breaking down yet refuses to back down. And when she wants to give up, her best friend, Akshat, stands by her. He is someone who becomes her strength, time and again. Sounds like an interesting plot, doesn’t it? But wait… here’s the truth.
Sumo Didi is said to be based on Hetal Dave, India’s first and only female sumo wrestler. Now, when the makers say that a film is based on someone’s life but that they have taken creative liberties, the audience can understand that, to make a film interesting, the writers can add some mirch masala to parts of the story. But that doesn’t mean they can fictionalise a real person’s story and entire life.
When I started actually liking Akshat’s character, I googled whether they ended up marrying. That’s when I got to know that such an important character in Sumo Didi’s life is fictionalised, as there are no references to such a man being present at any stage of Hetal’s life. And no, I am not assuming that this film is fiction simply because there is no information about this character (or person in Hetal’s life) available on the internet. You can read Hetal’s interview on Boldsky and figure out how much of the entire story is true.
Everything, from how she trained and who her support system was to whom she admired in wrestling and how she trained with the same person in Japan — how can so much of it be dismissed as ‘creative liberty’?
You introduce a fictional character and call him the woman’s support system when her father and brother went to great lengths to support her dream. She learnt sumo wrestling by watching videos. Her journey, even after becoming a wrestler, was so difficult that she eventually retired from wrestling. And you know what’s the funniest part? They didn’t manage to deliver a good product even after claiming to tell Hetal Dave’s story and twisting it as they pleased. One can clearly tell that they were inspired by other sports films rather than by this woman’s story. Otherwise, why would they make a film that feels as though Hetal’s own story and struggles have been totally discredited by the makers?
If you truly want to know about India’s first and only female sumo wrestler, do not rely on this film. Do your own research, read her interviews online, and watch her speak about her struggles on YouTube. Make an effort to learn more about this inspiring woman yourself.
And to the filmmakers, I have just one message: if you have to fictionalise stories to this extent, it is better not to use real people for promotion. When you name your character Hetal, promote your film as though every incident from her life has been portrayed exactly as it happened, and then, at the end, introduce us to the real Hetal and tell us what she is doing now, sorry to say this, but it feels like a scam.
Either clearly state which parts are fictionalised and which are based on reality, or just say that Hetal’s journey inspired you to explore sumo wrestling in your film and leave it at that. Do not present information as fact when it may or may not be true. Facts only, please.
Where to Watch? Zee5
