‘Bedridden for days, wheelchair-bound for weeks — I cried like a child,’ says Asif Ali on his gruelling ‘Tiki Taka’ journey

Actor Asif Ali has shared a heartfelt note about his much-awaited action entertainer Tikitaka, calling it his “KGF” and opening up about the physical and emotional toll the film took on him. Directed by Rohith V S, the film marks the duo’s reunion after the critically acclaimed Kala and promises a big-screen spectacle packed with raw action and mass appeal.

Production of Tikitaka had to be temporarily halted after Asif suffered serious injuries during an intense fight training session last year. In his statement, Asif recalls how an unfortunate accident during rehearsals left him bedridden for weeks and in a wheelchair for several more. The injury resulted in a torn meniscus and ligament, wiping out nearly a year’s worth of physical transformation he had undergone for the role.

“I cried like a child on the hospital bed,” he posted in his FB page, contrasting his own experience with that of the film’s lead character, John Denver—whom he describes as a fighter who never gives up. 
 

After an 18-month break and extensive rehabilitation, Asif is back on set and says he’s giving it his all once again. “This movie demands a lot of conviction and effort, not just from the actors but everyone involved,” he said, adding that Tikitaka aims to deliver “an unapologetic commercial cinema” experience to match the mass euphoria of the big screen.

Indonesian action choreographer Uday Nans, known for his work on the Hollywood cult film The Raid: Redemption, is behind the film’s stunt sequences. That alone has raised expectations for what’s being positioned as a landmark action film in Malayalam cinema.

“Tikitaka will be all yours by the end of this year,” Asif confirmed, signing off with gratitude to fans and a request for continued support.