Actors Nishan Nanaiah, Puja Gupta and director Shailesh Verma in Ranchi last month. (Prashant Mitra)

For a sport-crazy tribal state like Jharkhand, a film that has kabaddi as its backdrop is sure to strike a chord.

Badlapur Boys, which is all set to hit screens on November 7, may apparently be a simple story about a kabaddi tournament, but has far deeper social and political significance.

“It is rather a motivational film shot entirely in rural areas. The story is about a bunch of underdogs, who not only play kabaddi passionately, but also gets involved in crucial socio-economic issues,” said debutant director Shailesh Verma at a promotional event in Ranchi last month.

Produced by Karrm Movies, the film has Puja Gupta, who has acted in Vicky Donor, Mickey Virus and Oh My God!, and Nishan Nanaiah of David fame as the protagonists.

Both Puja and Nishan were present at the event.

The cast list also boasts some veteran actors, who are known for playing character roles. While the audience will see Annu Kapoor as the kabaddi coach, Kishori Shahane is the hero’s mother. South Indian actress Saranya Mohan is also a part of the film.

“The society or the surroundings where one is brought up and the person’s upbringing does not matter always. What matters is his contribution to the society. My film tries to explore this aspect. I have a soft corner for rural games and always wanted to make a film with kabaddi in the backdrop,” said Verma, who is known for writing scripts for TV soaps and screenplay of films like Salman Khan-starrer Veer.

Apart from a strong storyline and starcast, the film is likely to score on the music front too with the songs being sung by Sukhwinder Singh, Shaan, Mahalaxmi Iyer and Shreya Ghoshal.

Choreography credits go to Saroj Khan.

Asked if Badlapur Boys was a remake of Veenila Kabadi Kuzhu — a 2009 Tamil film directed by Susindran that also had kabaddi as its subject — the Patna-based director said: “I have bought the remake rights of the Tamil film. But you won’t find any similarity barring the kabaddi court scenes.”

Badlapur Boys is being released at a time when sports films Bhaag Milkha Bhaag or Mary Kom have won huge audiences. “But it’s not a biographical drama on any Indian sports personality. The film is somewhat similar to Lagaan that had cricket as its backdrop, but highlighted the unjust land revenue system of the British,” Verma signed off.