Haddi review: This revenge drama has less meat, more bloodshed, and many cracking bones

A few weeks ago, Taali Hindi web series brilliantly showcased the life of a transgender woman activist portrayed by actress Sushmita Sen. The latest to revolve around the transgender community is director Akshat Ajay Sharma’s Haddi (meaning bones).

But this one is a full-on revenge crime drama with one of the top performing actors in Indian cinema at present, Nawazuddin Siddiqui playing the protagonist against director-actor Anurag Kashyap playing the villain.

Is it as interesting as the lead cast of the film looks? Let’s find out.

Synopsis

Before we get to know why the film is titled Haddi, it is best to know a little bit about Iravan, a minor character who appears in the epic of Mahabharata.

Son of Arjuna, Iravan self-sacrifices to Goddess Kali in favour of Pandava’s victory.

But before killing himself, Iravan requests that he be married and Krishna fulfils his wish by taking the form of Mohini. Hence, Iravan is the patron god of a section of transgender communities in South Asia.

But what is the connection between the epic character Iravan, Haddi and the revenge saga? Well, it is the base of the entire film revolving around a transgender person venging the death of his loved ones.

#Haddi Aur Ahlawat taiyaar hai to face each other!
Are you?#HaddiOnZEE5, watch nowhttps://t.co/IfTnbP9iTu#ZEE5 pic.twitter.com/Tu7VTAK2f1

— ZEE5 (@ZEE5India) September 7, 2023

Also Read: Sushmita Sen nails it to near perfection as a transgender activist in ‘Taali’

All bones less meat

Haddi is meant for the 18-plus age group audience. It is not suitable for those who are uncomfortable with excessive violence and are weak-hearted when it comes to killing and shooting in newfound dramatic ways on the screen.

It opens up to Haddi (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) finding out the person behind the killing of his family members, especially the beloved Revathi Amma (Ila Arun).

And, the stage is set for Haddi to unleash his plan to kill the man and his men who are responsible for the death of dozens of his loved ones.

Unlike many other films, transgender people’s characters in Haddi have them in a typical commercial revenge drama.

The epicentre of the bad side of Haddi is Pramod Alhawat, played by Anurag Kashyap and his henchman Inder (Saurabh Sachdeva), a transgender person.

In short, it is just another revenge crime saga involving the characters of transgender people as a vital aspect.

Related: Cisgender actors play transgender persons as if it is an acting challenge: Neeraj Churi

Nawazuddin holds everything together

Villains on screen must have some illegal means to make money to run their criminal empire to fulfil higher aspirations.

In Haddi, it is the illegal human bones smuggling racket. Nawzuddin’s character, which is nicknamed after Haddi is the vertebrae, the biggest support system of the film. It holds everything in one piece from collapsing and turning into a disastrous experience.

It is his brilliant mix of emotional and fierce portrayal of Haddi that keeps the audience from fast-forwarding the scenes.

Anurag is another important bone which elevates the movie from an ordinary to an above-average experience and saves it from becoming a disaster in the end.

Verdict

It’s Nawazuddin’s show all the way. Anurag Kashyap makes a good impact as a villain. Rest is just another bloody revenge drama in the end.

(Views expressed here are personal.)