What Is the Story About?
Soumendra Krishna Deb (Kaushik Ganguly) is a slightly older aristocratic eccentric man with a greedy wife. When he finds that she has a lover, he invites him to his mansion. Upon the arrival of Milan Basak (Anirban Bhattacharya), he puts forth a shocking proposal.
What is the proposal? What are the mind games that follow it and how it ends is the series’s basic plot.
Performances?
Kaushik Ganguly and Anirban Bhattacharya play the main characters in the series. It is on their performances that the whole series runs.
Both, Kaushik Ganguly and Anirban Bhattacharya are good. They form an interesting pair with unique backgrounds. As most of the narrative is conversation-based, the onus is on the lead actors to pull it through. They do a convincing job.
Kaushik Ganguly as the elder, world-weary, but educated and with a royal family background does well with the portrayal. It does look like he is going overboard at times, but it’s well within the characteristic. The dialogue delivery and minute expression changes while delivering them enhances the writing and the drama. It keeps us glued to the proceedings.
Anirban Bhattacharya, on the other hand, starts a little meekly. However, as the narrative progresses, he gets equally competitive. One can feel the two characters going at each other without any physical violence. The younger actor, therefore, deserves the credit for holding his end.
Analysis
Dhrubo Banarjee directs Tiktiki which translated to Duel. The series is basically about two characters, and how they try to have the upper hand over the other.
The following contains mild to major spoilers so one can leave here skipping the rest to avoid them. Tiktiki is a two-character driven narrative. They are all we see. Such stories don’t appeal to a segment as they find it boring. If you are one of those, stay away from Tiktiki. To those who don’t mind, there are engaging moments and gripping parts.
The entire narrative is dialogue-heavy. A lot of drama and content is conveyed by the exchange of words. One has to attentively follow them to be not lost or feel exhausted.
The opening episode sets up the two characters and their background. It is almost like a chat between two people over drinks. If one is carefully following it, there is a lot to chew on.
The real story kick start’s after the proposal is put forward. The screenplay and gripping execution make one glued to the proceedings. The background score and the ambience help a lot in creating the mood and sustaining it.
The narrative progresses smoothly and intriguing despite two characters. There are twists and turns in between at regular intervals. However, things might be irritating if one is not following the conversations.
The whole is neatly set up for the grand finale. Unfortunately, the end leaves us with a mixed feeling. The basic idea is nice but it’s sure to divide the viewers. A section would lap it up, but there will be people who won’t care at all. They would skip it before the ending.
Overall, Tiktiki is a well thought and written series. However, the slow pace, the tiresome and confusing beginning and end will leave the audience divided. If you like to watch something unique with limited characters, give it a try.
Music and Other Departments?
Sayan Ganguly provides the music and background score for the series. It is excellent. It is partly the reason for the gripping narrative, if not most. Souvik Basu handles the cinematography. It is first-rate considering the limitations. The artwork is very good. MD Piyasuddin has done a decent job as the editor. The writing is key and the team has done a fairly good job with it.
Highlights?
Lead Characters
BGM
Screenplay
Drawbacks?
Repetitive At Times
The beginning
The ending
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes, For The Most Part
Will You Recommend It?
Yes, But With Reservations
Tiktiki Review by Binged Bureau