Kennedy Review: Long before its Indian release, Kennedy had already generated global attention following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Directed by Anurag Kashyap, the film arrives with festival acclaim and high expectations.
Set in the aftermath of the first Covid-19 wave, the masked faces and muted interactions lend the narrative a cold, distant atmosphere, not nostalgic, but eerily reminiscent of a time marked by isolation and uncertainty.
At its core, Kennedy is less about crime and more about control, about how power reshapes those who wield it and corrodes those trapped beneath it.
Kennedy: A Psychological Game Of Power
The story revolves around a manipulative police commissioner who keeps two rival gangsters locked in a calculated power struggle. Rather than focusing on who wins, Kashyap examines the psychological cost of this rivalry.
Rahul Bhat plays Uday, alias Kennedy, a contract killer who blends into the city as a cab driver. He moves like a man already erased from society, emotionally detached yet methodical. In one standout sequence, passengers casually discuss politics in Marathi, assuming he cannot understand. The moment subtly reveals Kashyap’s political undercurrents, commentary woven seamlessly into character interaction rather than overt messaging.
Violence With Unsettling Calm
Kennedy film’s violence is stylised and disturbingly composed. Murders unfold against soft jazz tracks, creating an eerie contrast between brutality and beauty. Kennedy appears less like a human being and more like a controlled predator, clinical, silent, and empty.
In a haunting narrative device, victims briefly reappear as ghostly figures, confronting him with silent questions. His responses are wordless, reinforcing his emotional void. The film suggests a chilling idea: for some, killing may represent control rather than crime.
Performances Anchor The Film
Rahul Bhat delivers a restrained yet powerful performance, carrying the film through quiet intensity. Sunny Leone fits naturally into the noir landscape, bringing vulnerability to her role. Mohit Takalkar stands out as a power-driven officer intoxicated by authority, while Aamir Dalvi’s antagonist feels comparatively underdeveloped.
