Anurag Kashyap brings up bold and blunt filmmaking. His movies bring up the essence of grit, anger, revenge and grief beautifully on screen. Anurag Kashyap sometimes brings up the stories that appear to be quite uncomfortable, and Kennedy on ZEE5 is exactly that kind of movie. It brings up a dark, slow, brooding story that refuses to hold your hand. The movie, at the same time, feels quite heavy on the inside and has got the spotlight on the international stage.
The movie has already premiered at Cannes and has also received an invitation to the other major festivals, and has built up a reputation as one of the strongest movies of this year. It is a beautiful story of a broken man, his sleepless nights, blood-soaked revenge and a lot more.
The Movie of Anurag Kashyap That Rarely Felt Like a Festival Movie
Anurag Kashyap’s Kennedy on ZEE5 brings the story of Uday Shetty (Rahul Bhat) who was previously a police officer and was declared dead after a failed operation. His son was being killed in the crossfire tied to the police corruption. The man behind this brutal murder was the powerful police commissioner himself. Uday survived the incident and changed his name to Kennedy. He becomes a contract killer for the same corrupt system. He doesn’t sleep and talks too much. He just kills, and every killing brings him closer to the one target he really wants.
Charlie (Sunny Leone) is a mysterious woman and the only person in the thriller movie who listens to Kennedy very carefully and doesn’t judge him. Her small act becomes the only light in Kennedy’s world. The movie takes the audience through two different timelines, i.e. past and present, where we can see Uday as a father and Kennedy as a contract killer. Mumbai, after the lockdown, appears to be quite empty and dead.
The Midnight Screening At Cannes Film Festival
Kennedy was a part of the midnight screenings section of Cannes Film Festival in May 2023. The section brings up bold movies. The movie offered a slow-burning rage of 148 minutes to the audience. The performance of Rahul Bhat was the talk of the night. The movie impressed the critics and got appreciation for its quiet violence and loud silence.
The performance of Sunny Leone is quite restrained and effective.
The makers of the movie have perfectly created the atmosphere of post-lockdown in Mumbai, where we can see the empty streets and dim lights. Cannes gave Kennedy something that most of the Indian movies never get, and that is international attention without compromising.
The Festival Journey of Kennedy After Cannes
After making a successful entry in Cannes, the Kennedy movie got a chance to be highlighted at Toronto International Film Festival as well. It was a part of the Contemporary World Cinema section there. The audience response to the movie is quite strong and leaves the audience questioning about the different topics.
Kennedy also got the opportunity of being presented at the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea. Busan has a reputation for championing bold Asian cinema, and the Kennedy movie fits perfectly into it. The Korean critics also have appreciated the visual language of the movie and the way it has used silence. Adding more to it, Kennedy is also a part of the special screening at Jio MAMI Mumbai 2023. The festival run of the Kennedy movie is all about the respect that it has gained all across the globe.
What Made Kennedy Resonate Internationally?
The Kennedy movie on ZEE5 doesn’t include any big songs, item numbers and over-the-top heroism. In fact, it brings up a quiet, deliberate and brutal story that connects with the international audiences. The story of the Kennedy movie appears to be quite Indian at its core. This suspense movie gives the audience the essence of corruption in India. It beautifully shows the audience how the family loss turns a man into a monster in India.
The performance by Rahul Bhat is the biggest talking point of the movie. He is leading the movie with an intense, internal and completely believable performance that appears quite realistic. Charlie’s performance in the movie is also quite surprising and effective. Abhilash Thapliyal and Megha Burman spell magic on the audience through their powerful performances. Cinematographer Sylvester Fonseca has beautifully turned Mumbai city into a character that appears to be connecting.
The Journey From Darkness To Applause
The Kennedy movie on ZEE5 started its journey in darkness, where a man was presumed to be dead, a city in lockdown and a director who brings up bold stories on screen. The movie has made a successful entry at Cannes and different other film festivals. Each screening of the movie added weight to its reputation. The movie has gained huge appreciation for being honest.
Bio of Author: Gayatri Tiwari is an experienced digital strategist and entertainment writer, bringing 20+ years of content expertise to one of India’s largest OTT platforms. She blends industry insight with a passion for cinema to deliver engaging, trustworthy perspectives on movies, TV shows and web series.
