Kickboxer 1989: Qartulad

While Van Damme provided the muscles, Georgian audiences fell in love with the voice of the late, legendary actor and dubbing artist Gogi Kavtaradze. In the chaotic, post-Soviet 1990s, when Western films flooded into Georgia, a unique dubbing culture emerged. With limited budgets and studio time, a single charismatic actor—rather than a full cast—would often narrate the entire film, reading all the parts over the original, lowered English audio.

Kavtaradze, known for his raspy, world-weary timbre and theatrical delivery, turned Kickboxer into a one-man show. He didn’t just translate Kurt Sloane’s (Van Damme) lines; he interpreted them. His version of the villain Tong Po’s threats are dripping with a menacing, almost poetic dread, while his Kurt is a sharp-tongued, sarcastic city boy—far more cynical than Van Damme’s earnest portrayal. Kickboxer 1989 Qartulad

Kickboxer 1989 Qartulad is a time capsule. When a group of Georgian men in their 30s or 40s gather today, quoting the film is a ritual. They will mimic the Georgian voice actor’s rendition of "You break my brother’s back... I break your entire spine." While Van Damme provided the muscles, Georgian audiences

It also paved the way for other Van Damme films to be dubbed in Georgian – Bloodsport, Universal Soldier, Lionheart – but Kickboxer remains the king. With the rise of social media and meme

Why? Because the themes of fighting against a giant, oppressive enemy (Tong Po) while preserving your soul (Xian Chow’s spiritual teachings) mirrored Georgia’s own struggles with Russia, internal strife, and the quest for identity.

With the rise of social media and meme culture, Kickboxer Qartulad has found a new life. Clips of Kavtaradze’s most outrageous dubbing moments regularly go viral on Georgian TikTok and Facebook. Younger generations, who have access to the pristine original on Netflix, actively seek out the scratchy, monaural Georgian dub because, as one online commenter put it, "The original Van Damme is just a guy kicking people. Gogi Kavtaradze is telling you a story."

In 2021, a small Tbilisi cinema hosted a 30th-anniversary screening of the Georgian dub. The line wrapped around the block. Audience members recited every line—including the "added" ones—and cheered when Kavtaradze’s disembodied voice announced the final knockout.