As my first theatre review for Screening Minds – (a series exploring psychosocial themes in media) – I should acknowledge my biases upfront. I’m an absolute sucker for authentic portrayals of male friendship – these relationships fascinate me both personally and professionally.
Set in Ilford, Bhaijaan follows 15-year-old best friends Khafi and Zain as they pursue their wrestling dreams while navigating conservative family expectations. The play explores themes of freedom, patriarchy, abuse, and the complexities of dual-cultural identity. Khafi embodies sensitivity and thoughtfulness, while Zain uses humour as a shield – until circumstances force them both to confront reality.
The Power of Male Friendships
The play offers a nuanced exploration of male bonding that challenges prevalent narratives. While we often hear “men don’t talk,” Bhaijaan asks a more pointed question: do we create environments where men feel safe to be vulnerable? The friendship between Khafi and Zain evolves gradually, showing how trust and emotional openness can develop even within traditional masculine spaces– and wow, that pivotal revelation scene (no spoilers!) had me on the edge of my seat. Director Samir Mahat and actor Michael MacLeod handled it masterfully.
I have to give a special shoutout to Kashif Ghole as Zain – I literally found myself thinking “I wish I had a friend like him growing up.” The way he captured those nuanced South Asian teenage reactions was spot-on. Even that moment after Khafi’s revelation – that quick “Wait, he’s gay?!” followed by immediately remembering what really matters – it felt so real, showing those ingrained traditional mindsets we all grapple with.
What’s so refreshing is how their friendship steers clear of the usual toxic stuff. Sure, Zain teases Khafi about being sensitive, but it never devolves into those tired homophobic jokes. And Zain gets to be a normal teenage guy without falling into misogynistic tropes. Their relationship shows how young men can support each other’s growth without buying into that Andrew Tate-style garbage. Instead, we see genuine camaraderie built on mutual respect and shared dreams.
The Power of Dreams (and Their Price Tag)
The boys’ wrestling aspirations serve as more than just plot devices – they represent hope and escape from toxic family dynamics. As someone who works with South Asian clients, it hit hard watching these boys desperate to escape their toxic family situations. There’s this painful pattern I see all the time: at 15, like Khafi and Zain, you’ve got all the energy to dream but zero resources to make it happen. Then later in life, when you finally have the resources, you’re often too tangled up in societal expectations to chase those dreams of freedom.
This exploration of dreams versus reality becomes even more powerful when viewed through the lens of their friendship, as each boy serves as both mirror and support system for the other’s aspirations, creating a compelling narrative about the role of community in nurturing individual dreams. Through Khafi and Zain’s story, we see how pursuing one’s passions becomes an act of resistance against familial and societal constraints, while also highlighting the very real obstacles that dual-culture youth face in reconciling personal ambitions with cultural obligations. (Those who know me will know that this sounds a little too familiar in my own journey with returning to the performing arts LOL).
The writer, Abir Mohammed made some brilliant choices here, especially avoiding the dramatic ending that could’ve turned this into stereotypical GCSE drama territory (those who’ve seen it will know what I mean when I say ‘knife, asthma’). As I always say, acting and directing are secondary to good writing to create an effective storytelling piece – and the writer completely deserves his accolades for this sensitive piece – it was the foundation to allow the rest of it to thrive. “You Deserve It.”
If you want to catch this compelling piece of theatre for yourself, it’s running at The Hope Theatre from March 11th-15th. Trust me, it’s worth your time – whether you’re interested in wrestling, male friendships, or just want to see a fresh take on South Asian storytelling.
