Writer : Adhir Bhat, Bobby Nagra Direction : Adhaar Khurana Cast : Abinav Sharma, Chaitanya Sharma
TIKI TAKA Review
Tiki-Taka dives into a genre rarely explored on stage: the sports drama. The title refers to the football strategy "tiki-taka", a style focused on maintaining possession through constant passing. Symbolically this sporting tactic is used as a metaphor for life itself. This character-driven drama portrays how choices, manipulation and shifting alliances change narratives of the five characters, each with their own ambitions and secrets.
The play unfolds inside Team India's football kit room on the day of a final match against Saudi Arabia. We witness the tensions and personal dilemmas of Indian Football Team captain Paramjeet Gill and his younger brother, Amarjeet Gill, who is also in the team. While it is Paramjeet's last match of his career, he is confronted with an offer from an off-stage character, Mane Sir, to play off the final in exchange for personal luxury. Amarjeet has his own ambitions and plans. Their coach hopes for a win to secure his own future, while the kit-man, who cribs about his past as a football player, voices his cynicism about privilege. The team's doctor and physiotherapist quietly observe the tensions in the kit room. Titu, a live commentator, guides the audience, making them feel part of the stadium.
The bond between Paramjeet and Amarjeet felt authentic, as if they were real siblings on stage, with Chaitanya Sharma and Abhinav Sharma playing the roles beautifully. Faisal Rashid as Coach Bukhari shone during his phone call in Kashmiri language with his family, delivering the monologue with perfect nuance, while the hardcore Goan Uncle Mascarenhas, portrayed by Joy Fernandes, conveyed nostalgia and a lifetime of football in his expressions. Titu, the show host, played by Siddhant Seth, brought infectious energy, and even though some pivotal anchor dialogues were slightly rushed, they captured the essence of live commentary. Lisha Bajaj as Tammy, or Tamannah Kataria, the team doctor, delivered her role with genuine subtlety.
Writers Adhir Bhat and Bobby Nagra craft a tight, engaging narrative that explores human intentions, ambition, and passion through the lens of sport. Their dialogue balances humour and subtle sarcasm without losing track of the story. Director Adhaar Khurana brings this complex script to life, using the kit room space masterfully maintaining the rhythm and focus, without relying on any theatrical gimmicks. The simple visuals keep the audience hooked, allowing every character's journey to breathe, while the off-stage presence of Mane Sir adds intrigue, showing a clear understanding of both theatricality and the psychology of the game.
The set was minimal yet realistic, with props like posters, team flags, and a massage stretcher resembling a real kit room. The singular entry and exit wing emphasized a sense of only source to enter and escape. Lighting, designed by Adi Shastri, used backlights to underline the loneliness of the captain after his struggles, while quirky lighting for Titu, representing the flashy, public-facing side of the game.
Overall, Tiki-Taka is a must-watch not just for football or sports fans, but for anyone who loves life stories and authentic theatre. While the first look might suggest a straightforward sports drama, the play unfolds more like a political drama, exploring ambition, passion, ethics, and human relationships.
Shashank Jadhav is a theatre practitioner, actor, writer, and director. He is the founder of Occipital Productions, under which he develops work across theatre and films.
