Across two generations, a mother and her daughter each chase the dream of playing competitive cricket. Both run into a society that resists women taking the game seriously. The film follows their push to claim a place on the pitch despite the obstacles stacked against them.
Nikki is a small, earnest sports drama that uses cricket to talk about the doors that stay shut for women across two generations. Directed and written by Roopang Acharya and released in September 2023, it follows a mother and daughter who both carry the same dream of playing the game seriously, and both run into the quiet resistance of a society that would rather they did not. The film's sympathies are clear from the first over, and it argues its case with feeling rather than subtlety.
Sonali Lele Desai brings recognisable craft to the ensemble, and the younger players carry the on-field material with enough conviction to sell the training montages and the pressure of the big match. Chirag Tripathi's songs do a fair amount of the emotional lifting, which is common in this kind of underdog story. Acharya keeps the scope modest and the message front and centre, so the film reads more as a heartfelt statement than a tightly plotted drama.
That sincerity is both its strength and its ceiling. The obstacles the two women face are drawn in broad strokes, the beats follow the familiar sports-underdog template, and the low-budget seams show in places. Its IMDb score sits at 7.4, though from a very small pool of votes, so treat the number as encouragement rather than proof. Nikki will land best with viewers who want a clean, rousing story about girls claiming the pitch, and who do not mind that it wears its heart openly rather than hiding it behind twists.
Verdict
A heartfelt, low-budget cricket underdog tale about two generations of women that leads with sincerity over surprise.
What works
- A sincere, women-forward sports story
- Cricket underdog energy in the second half
- Sonali Lele Desai's steadying presence
- Clean, family-friendly message
What holds it back
- Obstacles drawn in broad strokes
- Follows the standard underdog template
- Low-budget seams show
- Very thin IMDb sample
Cast & crew
Writers: Roopang Acharya, Rutvi Sompura
Music: Chirag Tripathi
Cast: Sonali Lele Desai, Kamal Joshi, Shivam Markanday, Chauhan Navjot Singh, Samvedna Suwalka
Producers: Cafe De Cinema Entertainment
Watch the trailer
Play the official trailer on YouTubeMore Drama Gujarati films
Frequently asked
Is Nikki worth watching?
A heartfelt, low-budget cricket underdog tale about two generations of women that leads with sincerity over surprise. Kevu Che rates it 3 out of 5.
What is Nikki about?
Across two generations, a mother and her daughter each chase the dream of playing competitive cricket. Both run into a society that resists women taking the game seriously. The film follows their push to claim a place on the pitch despite the obstacles stacked against them.
What is the IMDb rating of Nikki?
Nikki (2023) holds an IMDb rating of 7.4 out of 10 from 9 votes.