BREAKING
WAVES
Synopsis
At a traditional Indian wrestling academy (Taalim), 18-year-old Abhilesh trains under a strict guru and his rigid ideals of masculinity. Burdened by his uncle’s political ambitions he is expected to embody strength and control but instead he struggles with self-doubt, unable to meet the demands placed upon him. As he navigates the physical and emotional intensity of the sport, unexpected feelings begin to surface, quietly unsettling his sense of self. With a crucial tournament approaching, Abhilesh finds himself torn between duty and an unspoken yearning for something more. In a world where masculinity is defined by dominance and devotion, he must confront his fears and desires, forcing him to question what it truly means to be a man.
.png)
.png)

Treatment
Most of our film takes place inside the Taalim, a space where moments of vulnerability and care emerge within a rigid system of masculinity. This is central to our theme. These tender moments blur the line between emotional and erotic responses, while the setting reinforces a sense of entrapment. The portrayal of bodies shifts between mechanical objectification and emotional intimacy.
We use a vérité style to create an immersive, subjective experience but break from its traditional "fly on the wall" approach by occasionally incorporating interviews. These moments reveal how our characters like to project themselves to outsiders and bring out further nuances of the world. We rely on diegetic sound elements to evoke the mood of the space beyond the frame and non-diegetic music with subtle, often hypnotic instrumentation to highlight the thematic undercurrents in our film.
When we step outside the Taalim, we stay close to our characters and their perspectives.
The camera remains handheld while following Govind, effectively capturing the energy, unease, and tension he evokes, but remains on the tripod while capturing the intimate moments of the wrestlers. The film’s pacing is deliberate, lingering on the characters, yet accelerates dramatically during high-stakes matches, mirroring their intensity. A recurring motif throughout the film is the image of Lord Hanuman, depicted in various stages of transformation.


Accolades

Won Sunny side of the doc award at Docedge Kolkata, an annual documentary incubation-cum-pitching forum for Indian and Asian filmmakers that has previously supported oscar nominated documentary films like Writing with Fire and All that Breathes.

Won honorable mention by Sunil Doshi at Docedge Kolkata, an annual documentary incubation-cum-pitching forum for Indian and Asian filmmakers that has previously supported oscar nominated documentary films like Writing with Fire and All that Breathes.

Incubated for Mirrors fellowship by Maraa collective. The fellowship aims to challenge ‘ideals’ of masculinity that make people conform and illustrates the playful imaginations around masculinity to break down structures that are rigid, oppressive and moralistic.


Director
Vaibhav Jadhav
Vaibhav Jadhav is a documentary filmmaker and a professor of screenwriting at Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune. After graduating from IIT Madras he played an instrumental role as a Director into nurturing Camera and Shorts Media Pvt. Ltd. to produce national award winning documentaries. He also served as the head of video production in Drishti media. His work has largely been an exploration of the human complexities that underlie the conversations about human rights, especially in the context of caste and migration. His core interest lies in exploring new narrative possibilities through engagement with ground reality, collaborations and skill sharing. He has directed over 10 short documentary films and was an executive producer on The Unreserved, a national award winning documentary.
A graduate of the Prague Film School (2021-2022), Mihir Satavalekar has spent the past two years building his career as a freelance cinematographer and director in Pune and Mumbai. With experience across diverse formats, from commercial advertisements to indie films, Mihir has also assisted in direction and the camera department on several productions. His passion for documentary filmmaking stems from the process itself—the opportunity to explore and interact with different realities while simultaneously delving into his own growth as a person and a filmmaker.

DOP
Mihir Satavalekar

Anadi Athaley is a national award winning film editor. He graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India in Film Editing. He has edited feature films like Cactus Pears (Sundance), Ralang Road (Karlovy Vary), Mor Mann ke Bharam (MAMI), Candyflip (Netflix), The Unreserved, Borderlands (Munich, National Award for Best Editing) and short films including Detour (MAMI), Daaravtha (National Award for Best Film by a Debut Director). His recent work as a co-editor on Netflix's non-fiction series, 'Murder in a Courtroom: Indian Predator' is streaming on Netflix.












