Bitten by the parkour bug
MIXED MARTIAL ARTISTE SHRAVAN SATYA AND HIS FRIENDS HAVE BEEN ON A MISSION TO POPULARISE PARKOUR
A new wave of daredevilry is gaining steam in Indian films. The recently released Malayalam movie Aadhi had one of the finest action sequences in recent years, with actor Pranav running through many obstacles before escaping an ordeal. This is called parkour, a discipline that consists of sudden movements, negotiating obstacles and going from one place to another.
Ever since the beginning of the movement, parkour has been plagued by the stigma that it is inherently dangerous and should only be practised by ‘ extreme people’. But the way it influenced and inspired people all over the world is massive. Films like District 13, Casino Royale and the Bourne trilogy made it even more popular.
Mixed martial artiste and stuntman Shravan Satya had no second thoughts when it came to parkouring. His daredevil friends and he started Brink Impulse, for parkouring and freerunning. So what inspired him about this art? “Before practicing parkour and freerunning, I had already mastered karate, boxing, MMA ( Mixed Martial Arts). So when I first saw a film where the actor was doing parkour, I was curious and wanted to try it. Unlike other disciplines, it is an experiential phenomenon; you really have to do it to understand it fully. There are no rules on how to do it, but it simply depends on how you turn it into your style,” he says.
Brink Impulse started off as an acrobatic team of eight members who first started practising this unique act at K oz hiko de beach in Kerela. Being a dangerous act, the training sessions raised many eyebrows.
They even got complaints from onlookers who thought these bunch of young boys were crazy and anti- social. “We even had to deal with the police as they thought we are making a scene at these public places with our fast moving acts. But things have changed and the people of Kozhikode really understand what parkour is,” he says.
Brink Impulse has already started giving parkour and freerunning training at their facility. But as per Shravan’s philosophy, it is not for everyone and a high standard of endurance is required. Following the success of the film Aadhi, people have started to recognise it as a new act. “Giving assistance to the stuntmen who acted in the film was very inspiring. Working with Pranav Mohanlal was a wonderful experience as he singlehandedly did all the stunts. The French team that worked for the film’ s stunts was also helpful,” says Shravan.
Aadhi is not the only film that has featured parkour and freerunning. “With these kinds of performances, we will be competing with foreign cinema. Parkour will definitely help us reach their standard. I would love to see more young actors getting trained and performing this in movies,” says director
Najeem Koya, who will be featuring parkour in an upcoming film.
Even though they had much success with Brink Impulse, the members are still on a mission to give parkour more publicity. They recently made a promotional video, which was released last month and watched by over a lakh viewers. Two years ago, they staged a performance titled Chakravyuh as part of their promotions and now they are planning to set up a community for the lovers of extreme sports like parkour, freerunning, BMX and skateboarding. This is not a sport for everyone but millions across the world are practising it. Those who love fear and those who have the will to overtake it will master it. Parkour definitely has a future in our films. Without much practice, a newcomer to the discipline like Pranav could excel in it with his will power. He has even been compared to the likes of Matt Damon. “So there it goes, you don’t have to learn anything new here. You have it in yourself. Focus and run free,” says Shravan.
‘ Unlike other disciplines, it is an experiential phenomenon; you really have to do it to understand it fully’