‘Panga’ Critics’ Review: A Feel-Good Film Where Kangana Shines

The film released on 24 January.

Kangana Ranaut’s latest film Panga released on 24 January. Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, it is the story of Jaya, a kabaddi player who struggles to find the balance between her responsibilities as a mother and her career as a sportsperson. The film also stars Richa Chadha, Jassie Gill and Neena Gupta.

Here’s what critics have to say about the film:

“[Kangana] Ranaut has the courage to go plain-faced, minus pancake: her sure-footedness right through the film, on and off the mat, is spot-on. Chadha, armed with a bouncy pony-tail and buoyant back-chat, is a lot of fun, as is Neena Gupta’s bracing mother. The two current kabaddi players, whom Jaya spends time with, in the second half, both leave a mark. And it’s nice that Jaya is made to work hard for her climactic triumph; the victory is then even sweeter.”

Shubhra Gupta, The Indian Express

“It’s a nice, tender moment that singularly encapsulates male incompetence, often presented in movies as endearing but in reality a product of patriarchal conditioning. Yet, Panga doesn’t dwell on these moments or make it specifically about them. It’s a film that acknowledges the structural and cultural oppressions that come in the way when a married woman with a child chooses to pursue a career but mercifully resists the urge to make it an exploitative sob story out of it.” 

Ankur Pathak, Huffington Post

“There are times when the 129-minute movie is in a tight tackle with itself, in the same way that Jaya jostles with younger and fitter players as she gets back to the sport under Meenu’s watchful eye. Jaya’s journey manages to be both the stuff of fantasy as well as relatable. The screenplay, by Iyer Tiwari and Nikhil Mehrotra with inputs and dialogue by Nitesh Tiwari, finds many ways to place obstacles in Jaya’s path, only to yank them away in order to move on to the next inevitable triumph.” 

Nandini Ramnath, Scroll