A kickboxer’s fight for sexual identity

“Million Dollar Baby” isn’t the only pugilist movie in town. Entering the ring is “Beautiful Boxer,” an award-winning drama from Thailand that opens in limited release Friday. The film is based on the life of transgender kickboxer Parinya Charoenphol.

Charoenphol, who is affectionately known as Nong Toom in Thailand, was just a child when he came to feel he was a woman trapped in a man’s body. To earn enough money to help his nomadic family and to afford a sex-change operation, he transformed himself into a champion of muay Thai, the lethal sport of Thai kickboxing. The film, directed by Ekachai Uekrongtham, depicts Charoenphol’s teenage years as a monk traveling the countryside, his grueling stint in a sports camp and his violent matches in which he floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee -- knocking out all challengers.

“Beautiful Boxer” marks the film debut of Asanee Suwan, who plays Charoenphol. Suwan has been a professional boxer since he was 12 and has fought in nearly 200 matches.

Suwan spent a year preparing for his role, attending not only acting, movement and ballet classes but also grooming courses geared toward beauty queens. He also had to lose weight and muscle to make himself look more physically feminine. Suwan adhered to a strict skin- and body-care regime and endured numerous body-scrub and hair-removal sessions. Charoenphol, who has a cameo in the film, also provided reel-life counterpart training sessions.

The real Nong Toom, who had a sex change operation in 1999, is now a model, actress and muay Thai teacher in Bangkok. She can no longer fight, however, because women are not allowed in professional male boxing rings in the country.