Begin from the land of sumo

Shriyam Bhagnani plays the titular role

In April, Jio Studios had announced Sumo Didi, which is inspired by the journey of India's first female sumo wrestler Hetal Dave. Now, the sports drama, which sees Shriyam Bhagnani step into the titular role, will have its world première at the 36th Tokyo International Film Festival. It has been officially selected in the competitive Asian Future section of the festival, and will be screened on October 27.

Hetal Dave

For director Jayant Rohatgi, it is only fitting that the movie, set in the world of sumo wrestling, start its journey from Japan. He shares, "Sumo Didi is an inherent human story about resilience in the depths of despair. I am grateful to our partners, my cast and crew for their support in accomplishing this selection. What better way to celebrate this than to showcase our film in Japan, the birthplace of sumo wrestling!"

Sumo Didi - shot in Mumbai, Kolkata and Japan - celebrates the determination of a girl, who defies fat-shaming, by turning the so-called weakness into her strength and representing India globally.