What distinguishes “Daddy” from the many campy gangster films Bollywood has produced is that it at least attempts to try something different within the genre. But scratch the surface, and it is yet another film that romanticizes a gangster and attempts to redeem him.

Daddy is like a docu-feature which will not hold interest for the audience. It may appeal to a tiny section of the audience in Maharashtra due to its Maharashtrian flavour but in the rest of India, it will flop miserably.

Daddy is complete cinema engaging various aspects of film-making with finesse. However, the story might not resonate with the masses due to the low emotional quotient. Watch it for the good performances and stunning look into Mumbai’s bygone eras. And it will be more enjoyable if you read up a bit on Arun Gawli and head to the theatres…

Through Daddy’s 130 minutes, Gawli remains elusive, his story obscured by multiple timelines and narrators, and his own reticence. Daddy reminded me of Paolo Sorrentino’s Il Divo, another film about a sphinx-like public figure situated at the intersection of politics and crime.

A slicker second half and more insight into Gawli’s transition would have made Daddy a more engaging watch. However Daddy is a realistic movie, watch it if you are a big Arjun Rampal fan.