Daddy Film Review: A biopic which is gripping in parts, but leaves too many loose ends

There's always a grey area when it comes to the portrayal of gangsters in Bollywood films. Filmmakers often walk the wafer-thin line between glorifying the character or staying true to the story, especially when it comes to biopics. In that sense, Ashim Ahluwalia's Daddy is no different than the gangster films that Bollywood has churned out in numbers in the recent past. It's dark, dramatic and full of blood and gore. To Ashim's credit, at no point does Daddy glorify Arun Gawli (the gangster on whom the film is based). Switching back and forth in time — Ahsim tells the story of Arun Gawli (played by Arjun Rampal) in an intricate, yet heavily populated plot. 

How the bloody gangster war begins 

Daddy begins with Gawli gaining popularity while running for elections, having served time in jail. Inspector Vijaykar Nitin (Nishikanth Kamat) is hell-bent on putting him behind bars, maybe even send him to the gallows if it was up to him. The focus soon shifts back three decades earlier, when Gawli begins his time as a gangster along with his gang, including Babu Reshim (Anand Ingale) and Rama Naik (Rajesh Shringarpure). What starts off as a revenge-killing turns into a complete war between two groups of gangsters. Right through all this the specter of 'Bhai' looms large. How Gawli transforms as a person wanting to leave crime to be at the heart of it  — forms the crux of Daddy.

The analysis 

Given the various sub-plots and elements in the story, the execution leaves a lot to be desired. Gawli is shown as the 'Robin Hood' character taking money from the rich and feeding the poor. In an attempt to tell the story from different viewpoints, characters and time frames, the essence is lost and the viewer is left confused. The constant oscillation between time doesn't help either in this case as more often than not, it disrupts the film's momentum. Farhan Akhtar as Don Maqsood (Based on Dawood) is uninspiring. At no point is the viewer able to understand Gawli's character given the many traits he has, but it does feel that Daddy is darker than what it should be. A plot that can potentially make for a compelling drama instead turns into a drawn-out affair. 

The Verdict 

Arjun Rampal owns the film as Arun Gawli. From a brutish yet scared man to a reluctant gangster to a politician -- Rampal portrays the various facets of his character with elan. There's a telling moment when Rampal breaks down in jail — a moment which truly encapsulates the gangster's journey. Rampal lifts the film to turn a rather insipid crime drama into a watchable fare. Nishikanth Kamat also stands out as the inspector, who has a bone to pick with Gawli. 

Cast: Arjun Rampal, Aishwarya Rajesh, Nishikanth Kamath, Anand Ingale

Where it nails: Rampal's portrayal of Gawli and the director's attempt to tell his story various angles and characters, are the things to look forward to in Daddy. 

Where it fails: It seems the crew has bitten off more than they could chew as they packed too many sub-plots in a short duration, making it a haphazard plot. The screenplay is sluggish and fails to hold the viewer's attention throughout (never a good sign in a crime drama). Ultimately, reading on Arun Gawli will give you a better sense of his life than watching Daddy, and that's where the film fails.

Rating: 2/5