Manathi Ganesan - the real 'Bison Kaalamaadan': Here is all you need to know about India's Kabaddi legend

Indian cinema has seen plenty of epic films in the sports genre. On 17th October 2025, one more got added to the list - Bison Kaalamaadan. The film stars Dhruv Vikram, son of legendary actor Vikram and is directed by ace director Mari Selvaraj who is known for making socially relevant dramas that tries to voice out the caste system that is still prevalent in many parts of India. 

Bison Kaalamaadan has become a box office success and is gaining critical acclaim for its excellent storytelling and lead performances. Dhruv, in particular, is being lauded for his portrayal of Vanathi Kittan, which is sketched on a real-life sportsman from Tamil Nadu - Manathi Ganesan. 

While the film isn't technically a biopic, it tells key aspects of Ganesan's life, both in terms of Kabaddi and his personal experiences. Here is all that you need to know about the real Bison Kaalamaadan.

 

Who is Manathi Ganesan?

Manathi Ganesan is one of India's finest Kabaddi players. Hailing from a village called Manathi in Tuticorin district, Ganesan was born in a very poor family and then worked his way to become a national sports icon. Ganesan was part of the Indian Kabaddi team that won the Asian Games gold medal in 1994. 

For his immense contributions as a Kabaddi player, Ganesan won the Arjuna Award in 1995. Manathi, like most villages in southern Tamil Nadu, had a great Kabaddi culture and for Ganesan, the sport came more as a hobby but soon, everyone realised that he was a prodigious talent in the sport.

 

Personal life of Ganesan

Ganesan's father Perumal and mother Mangalam had a total of seven children including himself. Ganesan had two brothers and four sisters in his family. During childhood, Ganesan had to walk more abour 3-4 kilometers to study as there was only one school in the entire village. Since the age of 8, he was obsessed with Kabaddi and that never faded away.

Ganesan's Kabaddi genius put his village on the map and he soon started to win accolades with the sport and also excelled at athletics. His parents were his biggest inspiration and they ensured that Ganesan was able to pursue his sporting ambitions. 

Ganesan's multi-sport talents

Due to various circumstances, Ganesan had to shift schools often and after failing to clear ninth standard, he had to move to Sayarpuram Hopes School where Kabaddi wasn't being practised. The school didn't have a team and hence, Ganesan had a brief gap away from the sport. However, his athletic build saw him being taken to Hockey where he became a goalkeeper for the school team.

Just like he did with Kabaddi, Ganesan proved his mettle with hockey and was a quick learner. After winning a plethora of trophies and accolades, Ganesan had to quit the sport because of expenses. Hockey equipments were costly and he wasn't from a financially strong family. Ganesan was also very good at athletics, especially 100m and 1500m runs.

Return to Kabaddi

Thangaraj, the sports teacher at Ganesan's school, ignited the return to Kabaddi and from then on, there was no looking back. Thangaraj not only coached Ganesan but also supported him financially. By the age of 16-17, Ganesan was already making waves at district level and a year later, he was part of Tamil Nadu's Kabaddi team. From there, he rose through a lot of obstacles to enter into the national Kabaddi team.

Medals and job

The highpoint of Ganesan's career was undoubtedly the gold medal at the Asian Games in 1994. This was a year after Ganesan had landed a job with the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board due to his sports quota. Ganesan continued to play Kabaddi and had an illustrious career, even captaining the country at one point.