Ali Abbas Zafar On Sports Film With Bloody Daddy Star Shahid Kapoor: 'Until I Find...' | Exclusive

Following the release of Kabir Singh (2019), actor Shahid Kapoor reached out to filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar. The duo was supposed to come together for a sports film but that never happened. Instead, they collaborated on a slick actioner, Bloody Daddy, which released on June 9. The film has been receiving great reviews for Shahid’s gritty performance.

In an exclusive chat with News18, Ali tells us if he intends on directing Shahid again by reviving the sports film which was supposed to be their first collaboration. “The most important thing is that it needs to be relevant whenever I make it. Like, for Bloody Daddy, we were just in the middle of the pandemic and I thought of using it as a backdrop and making a slick action film that takes place in one location with lots of characters,” he says.

In 2016, Ali helmed Sultan, a sports-based film on wrestling, but as of now, he would rather stay away from that territory considering there are many being made in Bollywood. “So many sports films are getting made. Every four-five months, we see a sports film releasing. I’ve also made one called Sultan which was about wrestling but was also very emotional. Until I find something very substantial and I’m very excited about it, I don’t know if I want to venture into that space again,” he states.

So, how did Bloody Daddy get made before the other film? “Shahid had approached me and told me that we should do a film together, which is a middle-ground for both of us. He has done films which belong more to the real world and I’ve done projects that are more commercial and mainstream. He said that our marriage can give rise to a new genre. He wanted us to make a credible, commercial film that looks real but also has moments that make the audience clap and whistle. Yes, we were dabbling in a sports film but we weren’t super excited about it,” Ali recalls.

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It was the Covid-19 pandemic that eventually formed the genesis of Bloody Daddy and following a few virtual meetings, Ali decided to make it. In fact, he even wrote the script keeping Shahid in his mind. “One day, I got on a Zoom call with him and explained to him that I want to do a character-based film that has a neo noir but also a massy feel to it. Then I told him about this script and how it is heavy on action as well as emotions as it is about a father-son relationship,” he remarks.

The Tiger Zinda Hai (2017) and Bharat (2019) director further adds, “We spoke about this film for about four-five months and then, we slowly understood that Bloody Daddy could be a film that marks the beginning of a relationship between Shahid as an actor and me as a director. It’s a great mix between both of our sensibilities. We’re happy we did this film.”

And ever since Bloody Daddy dropped on JioCinema, Ali’s phone hasn’t stopped buzzing with calls and messages. Sharing his excitement about the same, he remarks, “The response has been overwhelming. People have really liked the film. They’re enjoying the quirks, the comedy and the action in it. A lot of people have been messaging me. We’re getting a lot of love on social media too. My Twitter is flooded with messages. We’re now just hoping that the film gets a lot of numbers on the platform and then we shall celebrate.” ​