A documentary series that goes beneath the surface of sport and fitness to find the discipline, philosophy, and human stories that make physical pursuits transformative. Produced by Flintstory, directed by Prashanth Podagatlapalli.
Beyond Physical is a documentary series produced by Flintstory and directed by Prashanth Podagatlapalli. The premise is simple in the best way: it takes practitioners of demanding physical disciplines — parkour, boxing, yoga, BMX cycling, CrossFit — and goes past the sport itself to find the state of mind that sustains it. What does it feel like when the body stops being something you think about and starts becoming an extension of how you see the world?
Structurally, the series is episodic — each episode dedicated to a single discipline or community, building its own rhythm and following its own subjects from the first conversation through to the physical work itself. The cinematography reflects this: static, considered interview setups alongside dynamic action coverage, letting the body speak separately from the person.
Shoots took place across Hyderabad and include Tameem Alsaif and the Fuerz Monkey parkour community, the boxing programme at Rush Fitness, the Wall Ride Park BMX and skateboarding scene (including national BMX athlete Agasthi), CrossFit Mendz, and separate yoga sessions. Each location uncovered distinct personalities and stories — a national-level swimmer navigating a difficult chapter, a father training alongside his children, a young woman who found yoga after years of searching, the founder of a girls-only skateboarding initiative.
Prashanth directs with the same ironic, observational sensibility that defines his fiction work — an instinct for the moment when a subject stops performing and starts simply being in front of the camera. The series is currently in post-production through Flintstory, with episode cuts in various stages of assembly.
