As Toofaan’s director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra had rightly pointed out in his interview, a film based on Boxing is a different ballgame as Boxing is a contact sport. Other than that, there are many rules by which the Boxing sport is governed. We think that to enjoy a sports movie to the fullest, if the audience knows the rules of the game, then they’re bound to enjoy the film much more.
Take the example of a sports film like ‘Rush’ (helmed by Ron Howard) that was based on the cut-throat professional rivalry between two Formula One car racing drivers namely James Hunt and Niki Lauda.
In case the viewers are already aware of at least the fundamental rules of the sport, then it naturally becomes easier and a more enjoyable cinematic experience for them. The same is the case with some Indian sports films like Lagaan (based on Cricket) and Chak De! India (based on Hockey).
That’s the reason we have compiled for our readers some basic info about the sport of Boxing. This can be a useful article especially for those who intend to watch Farhan Akhtar’s ‘Toofaan’ that will be streaming on the Amazon Prime Video OTT platform.
Boxing essentially involves two competitors who attack and defend with their fists to score maximum points in order to win the game. The two boxers fight with padded gloves and other protective gear inside an enclosed, elevated, and roped area called the ‘boxing ring’. The match is supervised by a referee. The boxers’ primary aim is to land as many blows as possible on the opponent and to escape from the opponent’s attacks on their bodies.
Boxers compete in a match as per their weight category like Flyweight, Welterweight, Heavyweight, etc. A boxing match usually consists of a specified number of rounds (generally 12 rounds for professional boxing) each of 3-minute duration with short breaks in between.
The boxers’ cumulative score of all the rounds is considered by the judges to declare the boxing match-winner. However, if one boxer ‘knocks down’ his opponent, who does not get up until a count of ten, then the former is declared the winner of the match regardless of their scores.
As far as Boxing moves are concerned, below the belt hitting is not allowed. The four basic boxing punches includes a Jab (a straight arm quick punch), Cross (a powerful straight arm punch by rotating torso and hips), Hook (a semi-circular punch using the elbow), and Uppercut (a punch delivered in a rising upward arc).
Taking into account that this is not an exhaustive writeup of Boxing basics and rules, so in case any details have been left out or should be modified, subject matter experts may feel free to apprise us regarding the same.
‘Toofaan‘ will start streaming on Amazon Prime Video from July 16, 2021, onwards.
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