Director: Ali Abbas Zafar
Writer: Ali Abbas Zafar and Aditya Basu
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Ronit Roy, Rajeev Khandelwal, Sanjay Kapoor, Diana Penty, and others
Ratings: 3/5

Narcotics officer Sumair (Shahid Kapoor) turns rogue and robs a bag full of cocaine not knowing that it belongs to nightclub owner and drug lord Sikander Chowdhary (Ronit Roy). In an attempt to retrieve his consignment, Sikandar promptly kidnaps Sumair’s lactose-free-milk-loving son, Atharva, played by Sartaaj Kakkar (what’s the point of even having a child in an action movie if it can’t be kidnapped and used for blackmailing!). Sumair is willing to give up the drug-laden bag to save his son, but then, more characters, including another corrupt yet calculative cop Sameer (Rajeev Khandelwal) and a straight-shooting short-tempered mafioso (Sanjay Kapoor), enter the mix, things keep getting complicated, and the bag of cocaine disappears. Sumair must now devise an alternate plan to pull off the extraction mission.

Ali Abbas Zafar’s fast-paced, stylish actioner that gave a very John Wick-esque vibe in its trailer is a faithful remake of the 2011 French film Nuit Blanche (Sleepless Night), which was earlier adapted as Thoongaa Vanam (2015), a Tamil film starring Kamal Haasan.

But Zafar sets it in the near-empty lanes of post-lockdown Delhi and Gurugram giving it its own unique vibe. The movie, shot in 36 days amid the COVID-19 pandemic, deftly portrays the sharp spike in corruption and crime the country saw just after the second lockdown due to its deep financial repercussions. It also reflects how the rich and the privileged washed away with their lockdown blues by partying and doing drugs. What I also liked is the subtle dig at the rot with the Narcotics Control Bureau, which deserves more headlines. But one wishes it delved more into these and the movie didn’t become a generic action movie halfway into it.

The film opens with a stunningly shot and choreographed shootout and chase sequence through a shuttered, desolate, and hauntingly beautiful Connaught Palace, and a promise of a bloody ride. But ironically, it is the action sequences that later on become the Achilles heel of this action drama, which otherwise tries to make the most of its predictable plot. As the movie progresses, it becomes increasingly clumsy and scattered—something that even Marcin Laskawiec’s agile and sleek camera work and Steven H. Bernard’s crisp editing couldn’t salvage. Most importantly, there is not enough blood and gore. Daddy does not get bloody enough in this movie. Mostly, it is the wine glasses and kitchen utensils that get hurt and face mutilation as much of the actions unfold inside a kitchen. After a point, it becomes claustrophobic and repetitive and one is left to wonder why the makers didn’t explore other spaces inside the sprawling nightclub.  The rushed climax involving one of the most bizarre car accident scenes which can very well be used as an advertisement for the miraculous benefits of seatbelts leaves one hugely disappointed. The hand-to-hand combat scenes work and some of the set pieces look stylish.  The sequence in the gaming room is cool but could have been so much better. In fact, that is the main issue with this Daddy—it is cool but could have been so much better. It stops right at the brink of becoming a sleek and memorable action movie.

The two things that work well for the movie are the comedy—the dry humour and witty repartee written intelligently by Zafar and Aditya Basu are executed brilliantly by the actors, and its music, especially the background score by Julius Packiam is good (although it lacks the punch of the Kabir Singh BGM which my head somehow kept humming during some of the action scenes). It not only gets you hooked but also keeps you invested in the goings-on. The songs by Badshah, Aditya Dev, and Anuj Garg are also good.

What is great about Bloody Daddy are the daddies—Shahid Kapoor, Ronit Roy, Rajeev Khandelwal, and Sanjay Kapoor all look gorgeous and are in top form. Shahid Kapoor has seldom given a non-superlative performance and as the slightly deranged NCB officer Sumair he is again exquisite. He is subtle with his comedy and brutal in his action. This is his second OTT outing after Farzi and it seems the actor is having a ball. With the platform freeing him from the shackles of box office numbers, it seems Kapoor is finally unleashing his wild side without any inhibitions. And we are here for it. There is a calm confidence in his flamboyance. Shahid Kapoor on OTT is Shahid Kapoor pro max. It is as good as it gets. As Sumair, he is every bit badass and every bit cool.

But his chemistry with his son (I wonder why kids in Bollywood movies always end up being irritatingly over-smart and act as effective condom ads) does not work. And this is mostly because of the way the two characters are written. This is extra disappointing as this relationship is the focal point of the drama. Shahid is effortlessly Daddy but the writers don’t give him much to play the dad.

Talking about chemistry, it is an unlikely duo that really charms you. Ronit Roy and Sanjay Kapoor are so good together that they deserve a separate movie of their own. Their fun banter is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the film. But it is a tad disappointing that the origin story of their relationship is not traced and when they eventually mention their past, it is so rushed that before you realise what is being said, the scene comes to a screeching end. In fact, this is a problem that the movie faces multiple times. In an attempt to make it fast-paced, the makers almost jump from one scene to the other and at times they are so fleeting that they fail to make the optimum impact.

Going back to the performances, Ronit Roy, another actor who can hardly ever be credited for a bad performance (he was good even in Liger for heaven’s sake!), is a stud muffin in a red suit. As Sikandar, he owns the part and is fun to watch. In fact, I can watch the movie again just to watch this daddy unleash his charm on the screen. Rajeev Khandelwal looks handsome as always and as Sameer, the dishevelled cop with a questionable intent who might be on a mission of his own, he is good but not wow.  Sanjay Kapoor on the other hand is the true revelation. He totally rocks it with his gangster swag.  He is funny and charming. Ankur Bhatia and Vivan Bhathena add to the macho glam and are effective in their respective roles.  Diana Penty has a comparatively smaller role as Sameer’s honest and diligent colleague but she makes an impression.

Verdict

A brooding yet amusing Shahid Kapoor (not digging his new haircut), a charming yet evil Ronit Roy (totally digging him in the red suit), a scruffy but always handsome Rajeev Khandelwal, and a crazy but cool Sanjay Kapoor with gangster vibes— Bloody Daddy is headlined by some of the most gorgeous daddies of Bollywood, and all are in top form and share crackling chemistry with one another. Yet there is something missing—it is not as cool as it wants to be and definitely not half as bloody; the action sequences are often clumsily choreographed (and involve too loud clattering of utensils and broken wine glasses and a very messy kitchen which triggered my OCD), and the core of the movie, the complex father-son bond, never truly gets established. The predictable plotline and the underwhelming and rushed climax (which can double up as an advertisement for seatbelts) don’t help either. Although funny, suave, and engaging, unlike a Sultan or a Tiger Zinda Hai; Bloody Daddy ends up being a mediocre fare.