Rakesh Bedi's 'Last Over' brings cricket-family comedy to USA tour in 2026
Synopsis
Rakesh Bedi and Anantha Mahadevan are back together on stage for the first time in nearly a decade, taking their Hindi cricket-family comedy 'Last Over' to New York, New Jersey and Boston. Set against an India-Pakistan World Cup final, the play is a sharp reminder that for the Indian diaspora, cricket is never just a game — it is a family affair.
Key Takeaways
Rakesh Bedi and Anantha Mahadevan reunite on stage after nearly a decade for 'Last Over' , an urban Hindi situational comedy.
The USA tour opens at the Jeanne Rimsky Theater, Port Washington, New York on 25 September 2026 , with shows in New Jersey and Boston to follow.
The play is set against an India-Pakistan Cricket World Cup final at Lord's and centres on two cricket-obsessed fathers disrupting a newlywed couple's life.
The production is presented by Coconut Theatre , written by Abhishek Pattnaik , and co-directed by Pattnaik and Suketu Shah .
The complete USA tour is organised by Prria Trehan Haider , with the New York show handled by Bhavana Sharma and Jasbir Jaisingh .
Veteran actor Rakesh Bedi is set to take the Hindi stage comedy 'Last Over' on a USA tour beginning 25 September 2026, reuniting with actor-director Anantha Mahadevan nearly a decade after they first performed together. The play, presented and produced by Coconut Theatre, blends cricket passion, family chaos and relationship comedy against the high-stakes backdrop of an India-Pakistan Cricket World Cup final at Lord's in London.
What 'Last Over' Is About
At its core, 'Last Over' is an urban Hindi situational comedy centred on newlyweds Sunny Arora from India and Zubaina Kazmi from Pakistan, whose lives unravel when their cricket-obsessed fathers arrive unannounced and set out to procure tickets to the sold-out World Cup final. Bedi described the play as fundamentally a story about people rather than sport.
'There is something very special about taking a play like 'Last Over' on tour, especially when you know there are audiences across the USA who love Hindi theatre and connect with stories like this,' Bedi said. 'Last Over' has cricket at its centre, but it is really about family, relationships and the kind of madness that happens when people get too emotionally invested in a cricket match,' he added.
The USA Tour: Dates and Venues
The tour opens at the Jeanne Rimsky Theater in Port Washington, New York on Friday, 25 September 2026, before moving to performances in New Jersey and Boston. The complete tour is being brought by Prria Trehan Haider, with Bhavana Sharma and Jasbir Jaisingh organising the New York show specifically.
Bedi noted his anticipation for the audience response abroad: 'I am really looking forward to taking the play to audiences across the USA and, of course, to seeing their reaction to the laughter and emotions we bring to the stage,' he said.
A Reunion Nearly a Decade in the Making
The production marks the second time Bedi and Mahadevan have shared the stage in 'Last Over' — the first occasion was nearly a decade ago. Mahadevan reflected on the significance of the reunion. 'Rakesh and I go back a long way, and 'Last Over' is particularly special to me because it brought us together on stage for the first time. To reunite for the same play almost a decade later and now take it on a USA tour is a wonderful feeling,' he said.
Mahadevan also highlighted what makes live theatre distinct: 'There are strong characters, plenty of unexpected turns and a lot of human humour in the story. Theatre always has an element of spontaneity, and I am looking forward to experiencing that energy with audiences throughout the tour,' he added.
Cast and Creative Team
Beyond Bedi and Mahadevan, the production stars Abhishek Pattnaik, Zachary Coffin, Ahan Nirban and Yashaswee Gandhi. The play is written by Abhishek Pattnaik and co-directed by Pattnaik and Suketu Shah. The show targets the Indian diaspora audience in North America, a community with deep emotional ties to both Hindi theatre and the India-Pakistan cricket rivalry.
With its USA tour now underway, 'Last Over' looks set to test whether the universal language of cricket-fuelled family comedy can translate as powerfully off-stage as it does on it.
Point of View
But the stronger draw is the India-Pakistan World Cup setting, which carries emotional stakes no playwright needs to manufacture. The real question for Coconut Theatre is whether diaspora nostalgia alone can sustain a multi-city touring model, or whether the play's longevity depends on landing fresh cultural resonance with second-generation Indian-Americans who experience cricket very differently from their parents.
NationPress
24 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the play 'Last Over' about?
'Last Over' is an urban Hindi situational comedy set against an India-Pakistan Cricket World Cup final at Lord's in London. It follows newlyweds Sunny Arora and Zubaina Kazmi, whose lives are thrown into chaos when their cricket-obsessed fathers arrive unannounced, determined to get tickets to the sold-out match.
Where and when is the 'Last Over' USA tour taking place?
The USA tour begins on 25 September 2026 at the Jeanne Rimsky Theater in Port Washington, New York, followed by performances in New Jersey and Boston. The full tour is organised by Prria Trehan Haider.
Who is in the cast of 'Last Over'?
The play stars Rakesh Bedi, Anantha Mahadevan, Abhishek Pattnaik, Zachary Coffin, Ahan Nirban and Yashaswee Gandhi. It is written by Abhishek Pattnaik and co-directed by Pattnaik and Suketu Shah.
Why is this production significant for Rakesh Bedi and Anantha Mahadevan?
It marks the first time the two have shared the stage in 'Last Over' in nearly a decade. Mahadevan noted that the original production was the first time they performed together, making this USA tour reunion personally meaningful for both.
Who is producing 'Last Over'?
The play is presented and produced by Coconut Theatre. The USA tour is being brought by Prria Trehan Haider, with Bhavana Sharma and Jasbir Jaisingh organising the New York show specifically.
