Estimated reading time: 12 minutes
Karan Tacker (the host) starts the show and speaks of getting goosebump feelings when he hears such names – Indira Gandhi, Sunita Williams, Kiran Bedi, Babita and Geeta Phogat Kumari. He feels inspired and proud and also wishes that the girls of our country also become like them and make their name in the world. He suggests that the girls face lot of problems sometimes in the name of religion, social conventions, safety, and also told they should be like girls. Karan says that girls will say Halla Bol and challenge those norms. He informs that last season of Halla Bol only showed one dimension which is about sexual harassment fightback by girls. But now they will show more dimensions and struggles of girls. In this season, girls have taken brave step against their struggles and will say Halla Bol. Today’s story is about a brave girl Sunaina whose dream was boxing and was from Ambala and is set in the year 2012. The story starts with Sunaina as a young child fighting with a boy of her age and her father comes and slaps the young boy who was engage in the fight with her. He confronts his daughter Sunaina and she replies of fighting and winning since she is the daughter of a boxer which was him. He replies that the boxing will be done by his son Param. The story comes to present in 2012 and Sunaina is now a youngster and that childhood incident was 7 years back. She is suggesting now that if she asks directly nobody will listen and instead they need to snatch to realize her dreams. She speaks about her childhood dream to become a boxer which aroused after seeing her father’s medals and trophies. Thus, she got the desire to play as a boxer for the country and hopes that people call her name with pride as Sunaina Rajinder Singh. She goes ahead to do jogging in the park.
Karan Tacker (the host) speaks that Sunaina didn’t have only dream but also very passionate about boxing and she had the dream to represent the country and she was not getting a fair chance because she was a girl.
Sunaina is seen at the park and her father is also coming to see his son’s Param practice. She finds her father approaching there and escapes from there. Later, Sunaina at her college speaks to her friends about getting caught earlier and one of her friends suggests whether she wants to become Mary Kom. She replies maybe and then her friends speak about lack of facilities for girls to train boxing and only boys are able to get training at their college. Sunaina is hopeful and thinks that someone will come who will not think girls to be lesser than boys and smiles. Vikram a college boy is doing boxing with his friends and informs that to defeat him is impossible. A young man Ranveer who turns out to be their coach suggests that there is nothing like impossible. The college head comes there and introduces Ranveer as their coach and the one who will give them training for the national level competition and selections. Sunaina at her home speaks to her brother Param that he is being trained because their father have lot of aspirations with him. He speaks of not being interested in boxing and makes his point clear. Later, Sunaina goes to a boxing centre and starts practicing there while remembering her father’s training advice to Param. Ranveer, the coach comes there and sees her doing good jabs and hooks. He asks her to repeat one combination and suggests that her speed is good but strength and technique is weak. He asks why she doesn’t train with other players. She informs that the college didn’t have the provision for girls to do boxing. He assures to talk with the college authorities and asks her to practice much.
She starts to practice strenuous training under the coach Ranveer (Aaj Chak Lene De song plays). Vikram and other boys come and find Sunaina doing boxing and asks her to do dancing and become actor instead. He also reminds her how he slapped her hard during their childhood (childhood incident which was shown at the start) and she got a small cut because of that fight. He speaks that girls should be controlled and she begins to leave after hearing it. He stops her and informs that girls need to wear bangles and prepare rotis at their in-laws home. He calls her nautanki and makes more taunts with his friends. She watches them and leaves to put her focus on doing more practice (Aaj Chak Lene de) and does boxing practice and exercises at home and also with coach’s help. Some other day, Sunaina is seen with her friends who suggests that they can go to watch a movie. As they were going, one of Vikram’s friends gets hold of her friend Rashmi and tries to harass her. Sunaina asks him to leave but in vain and she then punches him in abdomen. Vikram comes there and confronts her and also slaps her and punches her in abdomen as well. He calls her a loser and also the daughter of a loser. Sooner, a fight ensues between them and the coach Ranveer comes and stops the fight and slaps Vikram. He informs that in 2 weeks there will be state level competitions and with their fight somebody could have got injured. He also adds that the decision to send them depends on him, and warns them of not sending any of their names. He disperses them and Vikram speaks of seeing Sunaina and taking revenge for the slap he received by the coach.
Sunaina comes home and finds Vikram speaking to her father and putting some things in his ears. Her father looks in angry mood and standstill. He asks whether she will do boxing and also reminds that she fought in the middle of the road. She informs on how her friend Rashmi was harassed by Vikram’s friend. He asks how come she has started doing boxing without his knowledge and haven’t inform him. She tries to convince and also speaks of fulfilling his dream. On hearing it, he slaps her and suggests that his dream will be fulfilled by his son Param. He also wants to speak with her aunt so as to make efforts regarding her marriage. She cries and doesn’t wish to get married but he doesn’t listen.. She goes to her room and cries and later ponders and doesn’t go for training for some days which makes the coach Ranveer wondering about her absence.
Karan Tacker (the host) speaks that the Sunaina was inching closer to defeat.
The coach Ranveer comes to speak with her father at her home and speaks that she has the talent to achieve and speaks about talents – Sania Mirza, P T Usha. Param also steps in and supports his sister in pursuing boxing and himself show his lack of interest. His father doesn’t listen while making Sunaina to remain sad. She remembers about her friends words, Ranveer’s words,father’s words. Param comes and gives the note to Sunaina which the coach have given her and he asks her come for the committee meeting next day and also speaks about her aggression and champion like quality which he saw in her eyes. Next day, Ranveer tries to speak with the committee who are not convinced in sending a girl for the selection. He suggests that the teacher should help the student and give her the spark and also suggests that Sunaina will bring laurels to the college. Some other college staff, a lady suggests that boxing, wrestling belongs to boys. He wants one opportunity for Sunaina and asks them to see her in action with boxing. The college head says that the best will go for the selections and he suggests that she need to fight with Vikram as he is the best. The coach Ranveer speaks that such competition would be against unequals since Vikram has more height and double the weight than Sunaina. Sunaina comes there and accepts the challenge and she speaks of the opportunity and wants to prove herself and also doesn’t fear the failure. She tries much to convince the coach and asks him to believe her and vows to fight Vikram. Ranveer nods his head giving approval without saying and she informs the committee that she is ready to fight Vikram. The committee is surprised and she feels confident and leaves from there.
Karan Tacker (the host) speaks that there was no expert needed to declare that fight was unfair since Vikram was much stronger but overconfident. And sunaina only wants to pursue boxing. He adds that the girls are being called weak and also they are suppressed. He suggests that when the person gets more suppressed then you will increase their courage unknowingly.
Ranveer is waiting for Sunaina at the boxing ring and at her home, Sunaina’s father starts looking for her and soon learns that she went out for boxing. Sunaina comes for the boxing fight and the coach Ranveer suggests that the people there are waiting to see a girl’s fall but suggests that her win today will also be her childhood dreams win and things she saw and learnt. The boxing match begins and Vikram starts to overpower her and shows much aggression. She tries to punch in return but soon gets a punch on her head and falls down. She then finds her father there and Ranveer asks him to let the match get completed and wants one opportunity for her and also speaks about his believe as her coach. Sunaina is looking at her father while carrying some sadness and after a while he gives a small ray of approval which makes her happy. She begins to show more aggression in the next round. Ranveer advises her the game is of mind and asks her to focus on points. Vikram is confident that he will show different combination but Sunaina shows aggression and hits him. Soon, she gets a severe hit and falls again on the ropes. She gets back her focus and and again hits several punches at him.
Ranveer tries to motivate her and suggests that she is doing good and feels proud. Next round, she again fights but gets a deadly punch on her head and she falls down. The referee starts to count until 10 and her father ponders how to support her. At her end, she remembers while lying about her father’s words and how she spoke about fulfilling his dream. She stands up again and her father looks at her much surprised. She shows some defiance at the start and then hits Vikram with some hard-hitting punches which leads to his fall on the rope [Halla Bol tune plays]. Ranveer and her friends become excited. Vikram feels the hit and the referee after at the final round declares him as the winner. He becomes happy on the win while Sunaina gets tears in her eyes. Her father comes in the ring and supports her and says that she is the winner for him though Vikram won for others. He shows happiness and says that she didn’t lost but actually her winning streak has just begun and she is on the trail of winning. He takes her hand up signalling victory followed by showering a hug and speaks of being proud of her. The People there chant her name which makes Vikram jealous but her brother Param is happy to see his sister winning father’s love and respect. Sunaina speaks on fulfilling her father’s dream and later she won inter-college medals which gave her another win and her winning streak continued.
Karan speaks of a girl who showed similar passion like Sunaina and did wonders for the country. He is speaking about Deepika Choudhary, India’s first fitness and figure athlete but it was not easy for her. She speaks that there were some good people but some other people didn’t supported her. She speaks of having positive changes in her body due to training and thought that her in-laws will not accept her as she looked differently with physique build-up. But her husband gave encouragement and she suggests that sports is not gender specific and asks people to encourage the girls. Karan speaks about gender bias which have been prevalent in society since a long time and suggests that to think about girls being lesser than you is actually a incorrect thought. We need to understand, support and also give them respect. Karan signs off by asking the girls to have dreams since they are not lesser than anyone [Ladkiyan Kam Nahi in hindi] and also say Halla Bol when needed.
Additional Note:
* Actress playing Sunaina, recently portrayed the role of Aparna in Channel V’s Heroes – The Fightback files, 26th Episode aired on 24th June 2014. The theme of that Episode was Fight Against MMS video Abuse.
– If interested, read that Episode WU on our site here
Image credit: Twitter page of Bindass TV
Episode Video:
[youtube id=http://youtu.be/8Fi5sJ_ahHw]
Leave a Reply