For people outside India, wrestling in the mud might be just a sport. However, for people in India, Indian Mud Wrestling, or also called Kushti wrestling is a way of life. It requires dedication not only in exercise, but also in diet, fitness and discipline.
Kushti wrestling is not something new, at least not to the world. Spartan wrestling has been popular since the times of Ancient Greece, but people in India have taken it to another level in past years.
Kushti wrestling is also known as Pehlwani, and the persons wrestling are known as Pehlwan. The wrestling takes place in Akhada, a place for practicing where there are strict set of rules made by the trainer.
Recently, Kushti wrestling is losing its popularity, and there are very few schools of wrestling left in India. The sport is also present in countries surrounding India, but India produces the best Kushti wrestlers. One of the most famous Indian wrestlers is Sushil Kumar, who won the medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic games and reached the final at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
The Documentary takes you through the life of an Indian wrestler, their diet, exercise, and how they prepare for the vigorous battle. Moves, countermoves are developed in the Akhada, where strength goes against strength.
But the most interesting aspect of the sport is the money that wrestlers earn. Some of them start fighting for as little as $1 per fight, and hardly reach $10 per fight. With so low rates, one can ask what drives the wrestlers to fight against each other? The answer is simple, pride and tradition.
