Shekhar Home: Sherlock Holmes with a Bengali twist

This desi rendition is a treat for fans of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s iconic detective. Directors Srijit Mukherjee and Rohan Sippy do a fine job in capturing the eccentric nature of Sherlock Holmes while giving it their own twist. The atmospherics of Kolkata becomes a major character in itself

  • Starcast: Kay Kay Menon, Ranvir Shorey, Rudranil Ghosh, Kaushik Sen, Rasika Dugal, Kriti Kulhari and others
  • Directors: Srijit Mukherjee and Rohan Sippy
  • Creators: Aniruddha Guha and Srijit Mukherjee
  • Inspired by: Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes
  • Screenplay: Aniruddha Guha Niharika Puri
  • Production house: BBC Studio Productions
  • No of episodes: 6
  • Streaming site: Jio Cinema

The characters of Sherlock Holmes and his associate Dr Watson have captured the imagination of many readers even to this day. The combination of Sherlock Holmes eccentrics and Dr Watson’s more grounded approach makes these stories very entertaining. In Hollywood numerous movies and web shows have taken inspiration from Arthur Conan Doyle’s work. For example, there is the British mystery/ crime series Sherlock. There is also Robert Downey Jr starrer Sherlock Holmes and the sequel Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. There was also the 2020 Enola Holmes with Millie Bobby as Sherlock Holmes sister. In Indian context you have the character of Byomkesh Bakshi a fictional detective similar to Sherlock Holmes. Shekhar Home has the Bengali atmospherics reminiscent of Byomkesh Bakshi but in tone this detective is closer to Sherlock Holmes whacky nature

Kay Kay Menon and Ranvir Shorey as desi Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson

The story of Shekhar Home unfolds in a serene town of Lonapur in Bengal. Shekhar (an excellent Kay Kay Menon) is a detective who draws conclusions with his sharp observations. Shekhar’s biggest strength is his perceptive mind and the ability to second guess. Jayavart Saini (Ranvir Shorey) is an ex-army doctor and Shekhar’s new housemate. Together both of them solve many cases ranging from blackmail, murders and also supernatural events. The solving of all these lead to a major revelation in the climax.

The best part of Shekhar Home is its anthology-like structure. Every episode comes with a fresh bunch of suspects, as a result the approach of Shekhar and Jayavart also varies. This makes the show very interesting. The series particularly picks up pace when the action shifts to a place in Bihar. These portions have Jayavart in a stressful mood resulting in some chuckle worthy moments. The task of Shekhar and Jayavart is to catch the person blackmailing a politician. Rasika Dugal plays Iravati, she is a Sitar expert whose observation skills are on par with Shekhar. The chemistry between Kay Kay Menon and Rasika is a delight to watch.

Rasika Dugal in Shekhar Home

Iravati is a seductress with a hidden agenda. The scenes of Shekhar and Iravati using their observation skills to stay one step ahead is wonderful to watch.

Mention also must be made of the segment involving Kriti Kulhari as Mumtaz. Mumtaz is a liaison officer responsible for inter- departmental coordination. Shekhar and Jayavart are on the hunt for a certain M. This segment also keeps you hooked, and the ultimate revelation is indeed a pleasant shocker.

Kriti Kulhari in Shekhar Home

Shekhar Home also benefits from excellent cinematography. The visuals of bustling streets and hidden alleys makes you feel like you are solving the crimes alongside Shekhar. The charm of Kolkata coupled with the eerie mood heighten the tension. The incorporation of the Bengali Folklore is also first rate. Joel Crasto’s background score is in perfect sync. The series ends with a cliffhanger leaving the viewers excited for the second season.

It goes without saying that Kay Kay Menon and Ranvir Shorey shoulder the show with their first-rate performances. Kay Kay slips into the eccentric nature of this desi Sherlock with utmost ease. He portrays the role with the right blend of humor and intensity. Ranvir Shorey as Jayavrat proves to be a perfect partner. Apart from the comic scenes Ranvir particularly shines in the pre climax bringing out an unexpected side of him. Rasika Dugal and Kriti Kulhari also do well in their respective parts. Shehnaz Patel as Shekhar’s landlady comes across as tad too animated which could have been toned down.

Bloody Daddy: Shahid Kapoor Comes Out All Guns Blazing In This Pulpy Action Thriller

Beneath all the action and thrills, the film has a relatable emotional angle — the father-son dynamic that has come out well.

Provides enough adrenaline rush!
Bloody Daddy (Hindi)
  • Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Ronit Roy, Sanjay Kapoor, and Diana Penty
  • Director: Ali Abbas Zafar
  • Producer: Jyoti Deshpande, Gaurav Bose, and Ali Abbas Zafar
  • Music: Badshah, Aditya Dev and Anuj Garg
  • Runtime: 2 hours 5 minutes
  • OTT platform: Jio Cinema

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.

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.

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.

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.)