Talking to Prateek Sur, Ali Abbas Zafar opens up about how he convinced Shahid Kapoor to do an out-an-out action film, why he decided to release the film on OTT directly, how OTT is changing things for filmmakers, how post-pandemic the rules of filmmaking are changing, how he manages to put impetus to female characters even in male-dominated films and lots more. Excerpts:

‘Bloody Daddy’ happens to be your first project with Shahid Kapoor. Tell us about the kind of bond you have developed with him?

Shahid and I have known each other for almost 20 years now. At one point of time, I was doing the film where I was an assistant and he was acting. It was a film called Badmash Company. So, I have known him since then and we have always kind of stayed in touch. When I became a director, he was always saying that let's do something together. After Kabir Singh, he called me and he said there is a sports film that you want to do. But things didn't work out on the sports film. And I told him that Sir I will come back to you when I'm very happy with the character and I know that that character will do justice to your stardom and your acting abilities. And then Corona happened and then in the middle of the Corona, I was developing something which was an adaptation of the French film and I kind of changed it a bit and I made it very, very Indian, grounded it into Delhi NCR narcotics department and then I did a narration with him, saying what I want to do with the film and how I want to treat this film. When we took over a zoom call, he was very happy. He was very happy. And he said that this is the kind of film that I want to do with you. And then then ‘Bloody Daddy’ happened.

So, what was the most challenging respect while shooting it?

What the most challenging part is that to kind of keep the world of the film very, very real. It's a theory of a man who has seen a bag of drugs with his son and he has to give in a hotel where there is a wedding happening in a hotel where there is a club and people are dancing in the club. There is a hotel where it has just opened after Corona. The idea was that at never the unreal you know that till the time is zero. Villain does not open a bag of guns since there are no guns in the film. Because, till the time the pace is so high. Rohit Roy gets killed, which is Ivan's character, no one will bring out a gun. There is not even a thing higher in the film. So, the idea was to do a really pretty thriller where action is not to make you feel wow but to make you feel intense. Actually, it is very hand-to-hand and brawl (kind of an action). There is no choreography in that action. It is a very rough action, in short, it's like punching someone or doing a flying kick. It is a very raw and gritty action only because the character like this will do it.

Shahid has never done a full action film in the past as we have seen. So how easy or difficult was it for you to convince him for this project?

What was more important than action was that he should understand the emotion of Sumeir Azad. As an actor of poetry in the entire film, he is not a very good father to his son. He has a dysfunctional relationship. He is a very responsible guy. He is making an effort that his relationship with his son will become better. You know the last thing before son gets kidnapped, they are both getting into a list and he says that oh, tonight again I will be late and his son says, you know what.

So the idea about the film and it's not like the whole thing of action only stems up from the intensity of my son. He understood that I am not doing this action to show that I am an action hero. I am doing this action because I am desperate to get my son back from these people. And when he loses the back, he understands there is now they will not give me my son back, you know. So all those things led to what 'Bloody Daddy' is all about.

Reports say that ‘Bloody Daddy’ has been made on a budget of around Rs 200 Crore. Then why not release the film in the theatre first? How does showing the film for free on OTT help make money for producers like you?

OK, not at all. Nothing close to that. Also, even if you divide it even by half it’s not like that. The thing is that this film from day one was designed for OTT. Post-pandemic scenarios have changed drastically. We were very clear that this film should go on OTT.

Has OTT changed the game for filmmaking?

OTT has changed the game and has made the entertainment industry more exciting and challenging at the same time. Now you are competing with good content, no matter where it will come from. Whenever there is a good show or a good film on OTT or theatre, it always makes you push your level higher.

In your films be it ‘Mere Brother Ki Dulhan’, ‘Sultan’ or ‘Gunday’ for that matter, you have created some of the strongest female characters but at the end of the day, it’s the hero that is becoming the talk of the town when a movie becomes a hit. So, in the future are you planning anything which is totally women-centric?

For sure. Right now, we are in the middle of writing a few scripts.

In this career span of you being a director how to see your growth as a director and how to do reflect on your mistakes?

I still feel that I am a newcomer. The journey and the relationship with my actors and my films has been very productive and good. I am very fortunate to be part of successful films. People now know the name and know that my film is coming so that is like the earning. The audience now have a certain expectation from the films that come from my side and I hope to keep working hard and keep entertaining my audiences.

Most of the actors are directors’ actors. They completely give on the vision of a filmmaker. But did it ever happened with you that you had to compromise on your vision?

No, not at all. I always go with what is right.

What next can we see you making?

My next is ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’.