Bloody Daddy review: Shahid Kapoor comes out all guns blazing in this pulpy action thriller

Ali Abbas Zafar’s Bloody Daddy opens with information on the country slowly getting back to its feet post the second wave of COVID-19 lockdown.

More than the story, it is the racy screenplay that makes Bloody Daddy enjoyable particularly if you are an action junkie.

Synopsis

The setting of Bloody Daddy is the milieu of North India.

In the very first scene, we see Sumair (Shahid Kapoor) and his colleague (Zeishan Quadri of Gangs of Wasseypur fame) racing down the streets of Connaught Place in pursuit of another car.

Soon enough, they manage to catch up with the car and have a fight with two men. They get their hands on cocaine worth ₹50 crore.

This action sequence sets the tone for the rest of the film. Here, it has to be mentioned that Sumair is an NCB officer but not the traditional mainstream cop, as he is not catching the criminal but robbing the cocaine.

In short, he is a dubious cop, and as viewers, we don’t understand whether he is on the right side of the law or the wrong side till the end.

Sikander (Ronit Roy) plays a drug lord-cum-hotelier. He comes to know that Sumair has beaten up his men and is in possession of his cocaine. He abducts Sumair’s son Athrav.

Crux of Bloody Daddy

The one-line story is about how Sumair manages to get back his son. But what makes this drama interesting is the various subplots that director Ali Abbas Zafar integrates.

For example, you have another drug dealer Hamid (Sanjay Kapoor), and two anti-corruption officials, Aditi and Sameer (Diana Penty and Rajeev Khandelwal), who are also on the job.

Soon a cat-and-mouse chase starts, but there is much more than what meets the eye.

Parallel to this, Sumair has a messy relationship with his ex-wife Riya and son Athrav.

The biggest strength of Bloody Daddy is how Ali Abbas Zafar designed the character of Shahid Kapoor.

Sumair isn’t perfect by any means and on certain occasions, he also comes across as a selfish and irresponsible dad.

His moral compass also seems to be oscillating and this keeps the viewers guessing whether he is the good guy or the anti-hero till the very end.

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Positive aspects

There is certain believability to the fight sequences that the director and his leading man bring to the table. Sumair’s scenes with his son Athrav are few in number, but they do make an impact.

A special mention must be made of the phone conversation when Sumair instils confidence in his son that he will come out safe.

Bloody Daddy has also some wonderful laugh-out-loud moments.

A good example of this is the hilarious interaction Sumair has with a Nepali cook in the hotel. Some of the other laugh-out-loud moments come from the interactions between Sikander and Hamid.

Beneath all the action and thrills, Bloody Daddy has a relatable emotional angle.

You have a father who eventually wants to make his son understand that he isn’t the irresponsible and indifferent dad that the boy assumes him to be. This has come out well.

What also makes Bloody Daddy even more intriguing is the characterisation of Rajeev Khandelwal. On the surface, he appears to be an honest tough cop but there is a solid twist to his character.

Ali Abbas Zafar also uses the background of COVID-19 smartly to make important points about the growing inflation and the crime rate.

A whole lot of action and loads of drama – all on one BLOODY night. 🔪🔥

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Low points

The second half of Bloody Daddy feels a little stretched because of the long drawn-out cat-and-mouse game.

Diana Penty as the solo female official needed to be better etched. It looks more like an add-on to the story rather than being organic.

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Performances

As Bloody Daddy, Shahid Kapoor exudes power and vulnerability in equal measure. He brings a palpable intensity which makes the viewers root for him.

Apart from the intense scenes, Shahid shines bright in the lighter ones, too.

The duo of Ronit Roy and Sanjay Kapoor are also in fine form, particularly Ronit Roy. Rajeev Khandelwal is another actor who makes a strong impression.

The cinematography by Marcin Laskaweic matches the vision of Ali Abbas Zafar. On more than one occasion, the viewers feel that this film should have been released on the big screen.

Final take

Bloody Daddy is a highly watchable action thriller that provides enough adrenaline rush.

(Views expressed are personal.)