Sumo Didi: How Shriyam Bhagnani transformed to play India’s first female sumo wrestler, Hetal Dave
Stepping into the shoes of a real-life pioneer is never a light undertaking, but for Shriyam Bhagnani, starring in Sumo Didi, which is currently streaming on Zee 5, meant completely reshaping both body and mind. Inspired by the life of Hetal Dave, India’s first female sumo wrestler, the film chronicles an extraordinary story of resilience against societal norms and athletic conventions. To embody an athlete navigating a sport traditionally dominated by men, Shriyam underwent an arduous physical transformation, dedicating months to intensive training, weight gain, and mastering the intricate mechanics of sumo wrestling.
In this candid conversation, Shriyam dives into the emotional and physical demands of the role, the responsibility of honouring Hetal Dave’s legacy, and how Sumo Didi redefines traditional narratives surrounding female strength and perseverance in Indian cinema.
Playing Hetal Dave required a massive physical transformation, gaining over 14 kgs and building substantial muscle mass. How did you mentally and physically prepare yourself to undergo such an intense change, especially in an industry often obsessive over specific body standards?
We found the right team, which made the physical process much easier because I had the right people guiding me throughout.
Mentally, it was quite simple. I was finally getting an opportunity to showcase my talent, something I had been waiting for over eight years. That made it very easy to convince myself to go all in and make the most of it. Even if the role had required me to gain another 10 kgs, I would have done it.
You had the unique opportunity to be coached directly by Hetal Dave herself. What was the most surprising or difficult technical aspect of sumo wrestling she taught you, and how did training with her shape your understanding of grit and character?
The biggest challenge was understanding that sumo wrestling is far more technical than it looks. From the outside, it seems like a very short game that is primarily about being bigger and stronger. But balance, footwork, timing and the ability to anticipate your opponent are incredibly important.
Training with Hetal also gave me a better understanding of the kind of discipline and determination her journey demanded. She wasn’t just teaching me the movements of the sport. I was learning from someone who had lived that journey herself.
Sumo is a sport where weight is an asset and power is prioritised over conventional aesthetics. How did stepping into the Mawashi (the traditional belt/loincloth worn by wrestlers in Japanese sumo) and embodying this role change your own relationship with your body?
It helped me understand how much our perception of the body depends on the context in which we see it. The same body that might be judged by conventional beauty standards can be an asset in a sport like sumo.
During those 10 months, I stopped thinking about my body in terms of how it looked and started thinking about what it could do. I was focused on becoming stronger, improving my stamina and being able to perform the matches convincingly.
It taught me to appreciate my body for what it was capable of rather than simply how it looked.
This is your first major feature film in a solo lead role. How did you handle the responsibility of telling an untold sports story about a woman who fought immense societal stigma and patriarchal norms?
I was very conscious of the responsibility because Hetal’s story is not just about the sport. It’s about a woman choosing a path that very few people around her could understand and continuing despite the resistance she faced.
As an actor, I tried not to approach her as someone who is extraordinary simply because she was different. I wanted to understand her as a person with her own ambitions, insecurities, relationships and determination.
Being the lead also meant carrying the story through all its stages, physically and emotionally. I hope the film introduces audiences to Hetal’s journey and carries it to people who may never have heard of her otherwise.
Beyond physical training, Hetal’s journey involved isolation, lack of institutional support and public skepticism. How did you tap into the emotional isolation during the dramatic scenes?
I think understanding the physical side of her journey helped me connect with the emotional side as well. When you’re pursuing something that people around you don’t understand, it can be incredibly isolating. You might be completely certain about what you want, but that doesn’t mean the people around you will believe in it.
I tried to approach those scenes by imagining what it would feel like to keep showing up for something when you don’t necessarily have the support or validation you need.
Sometimes the most difficult part isn’t the physical challenge itself, but having to keep believing in yourself when nobody else quite understands what you’re trying to achieve.
On screen, Hetal transitions from a young woman mocked for her weight to a fierce international competitor. What was the key trigger or anchor for you to switch into that fierce athletic mindset on set?
I tried my best to understand what Hetal would be feeling in those moments and channel those emotions into my performance. I think as actors, we try to put ourselves in the shoes of the person we’re portraying and respond as honestly as we can to what they’re experiencing. I approached those moments with that intention and tried to bring as much truth to them as possible.
Sumo Didi traveled to prestigious global stages like the Tokyo International Film Festival and the Palm Springs International Film Festival before its ZEE5 premiere. How has the international and domestic reception validated the hard work poured into this project?
This journey has been special, especially because it took so long for the film to reach audiences in India. We shot it in 2022, and finally seeing it release on ZEE5 has been an emotional experience.
The response to the film and the reviews have been encouraging. What’s particularly meaningful is that people are now discovering Hetal’s story, many of whom had never heard of her before. After everything this film has been through, knowing that her story is reaching people makes the journey worthwhile.
India is a cricket-obsessed nation where fringe or non-traditional sports struggle for recognition. When audiences stream Sumo Didi, what specific emotion or takeaway do you hope they carry out of their living rooms?
I hope people leave the film curious about a sport they may know very little about and, more importantly, about the woman whose life inspired it.
Hetal chose to pursue something that was completely outside the conventional path, in a country where very few people even knew that an Indian woman could compete in sumo wrestling. I hope her story reminds people that you don’t have to fit into a conventional mould to do something extraordinary.
And for anyone looking for inspiration to pursue something they believe in, I hope they leave feeling that they, too, can achieve what might seem impossible. Sometimes, all it takes is the courage to take that first step and keep going, even when the goal seems out of reach.
Working on this project, did it also make you realise how plus-size women are often seen beyond the weight factor, and how everything becomes extra challenging when they have to fight against that perception?
Absolutely. I think women are often reduced to their appearances, and for plus-size women, that can become an even bigger part of how people perceive them. Their weight can end up defining the way people see their abilities, their choices and even their ambitions.
What I found interesting about Hetal’s story is that she is so much more than her body or her sport. She’s a woman with dreams, relationships, insecurities and a determination to build a life on her own terms.
I hope we get to a place where a woman’s body type doesn’t become the first thing we see about her or the lens through which we judge everything she does.
What can audiences expect from your upcoming projects?