The Thaapi (2026)
Thaapi (2026) is a Punjabi sports family drama written and directed by Jagdeep Warring, starring Neeru Bajwa and Sunny Singh, who makes his Punjabi cinema debut with this film. The story centres on Bhakhtaur Singh, a 70-year-old wrestler who never lost a bout in his life. His name and his family’s honour are everything to him, and his one burning wish is for a male heir who will carry the legacy forward.
When the family has no son to inherit that legacy, the old man’s pride hardens into bitterness. It is his daughter-in-law Kammo (Neeru Bajwa) who quietly refuses to accept the rules of the house. Instead of waiting for permission, she forms a girls’ kabaddi team, training young women to fight for the same honour the family reserved for men. Her journey pulls the whole family into conflict: tradition on one side, dignity on the other. The road leads to a major kabaddi showdown against New Zealand’s national team, where Bhakhtaur Singh must finally decide what legacy really means, and whether the successor he was waiting for was standing in his own home all along.
The film’s own line sums up its heart: a legacy is not born, it is made by fighting for it. With music by Gurmoh and Chet Singh, including the popular first song “Eh Kudi Punjab Di”, Thaapi mixes wrestling, kabaddi, family emotion and a strong message about women’s strength.
Quick info:
- Release date: 16 October 2026 (in cinemas)
- Genre: Drama, Sports
- Language: Punjabi
- Runtime: 2 hrs 2 mins
- Director: Jagdeep Warring (writer-director)
- Cast: Neeru Bajwa, Sunny Singh, Sukhwinder Chahal, Parminder Gill, Hashneen Chauhan, Sawan Rupowali, Malkeet Rauni
- Music: Gurmoh, Chet Singh
- Production: Smarters Films, in association with Neeru Bajwa Entertainment
- OTT: Not announced yet
