Zain (Kashif Ghole) and Khafi (Michael MacLeod) indulge in yet more training – or what they call training, without the guidance of a coach, professional or not – with a view to participating in ‘trials’ for a wrestling federation’s junior league. What are they ‘really’ fighting for? Zain is particularly keen to make a success of it, scoffing at Khafi just because he wants to fit in some revision for GCSE examinations. Of course, a coming of age play can’t merely be about wrestling one’s way out of a humdrum home life. Indeed, the underlying reasons for Zain’s intensity and dedication to sport and training become clear as the show goes on.
“We can do both,” Zain asserts. By ‘both’ he means joining the wrestling federation as well as succeeding in school exams. Whether they do either sufficiently well would be giving too much away, although they do at least manage to attempt both. Family expectations being what they are, there are hidden truths about academic excellence and other matters: these are boys that know how to keep up the pretence of certain appearances in the name of family honour and pride.
Much of this becomes infinitely trickier for Khafi in light of the play’s critical incident. The story of a million teenagers is that they feel they aren’t listened to properly by their parents, though in Khafi’s case, it goes far beyond the realms of vacuous first-world problems. The production does well to strike a balance between realistically portraying wrestling scenes whilst subtly making it clear that neither actor has sustained any actual injuries. This, as the dialogue makes clear, goes well with the nature of professional wrestling. As Zain puts it, “It’s all scripted,” though I must admit I don’t see the entertainment value in choreographed fighting, even if that is hardly the point here.
Various issues that come to the fore are far from neatly resolved by the end of this one-act, one-hour show, and the play does well to demonstrate that the very best support out there more often than not isn’t from the Government or external agencies but from a trusted friend. It’s not always comfortable viewing – Zain seems to want to take his physical prowess and demonstrate it outside the wrestling ring at almost every opportunity. That said, life in the modern world can feel as though everything is a fight. There are minor production niggles, such as a couple of scene changes taking a tad too long, that would be ironed out in a longer run. Overall, this is a gritty and compelling story that shines a light on the myriad challenges faced by working-class teenage boys today.
Review by Chris Omaweng
As fifteen-year-olds, best friends Khafi and Zain strive to live their professional wrestling dreams and escape the conservative norms of Ilford, their hopes of freedom come to a halt as the consequences of patriarchy, abuse and toxic masculinity within their culture reach a boiling point. While Zain is happy to make a joke in any situation, Khafi leans more towards sensitivity and understanding, regardless both boys know they can lean on each other.
Bhaijaan explores the impact of toxic masculinity on young South Asian boys clouded by violence, religion and the need to be a man.
Kashif Ghole – Zain
Michael MacLeod – Khafi
Written by Abir Mohammad
Directed by Samir Mahat
BHAIJAAN
The Hope Theatre, 207 Upper Street, London N1 1RL
31 January and 1 February 2025
