Written by: Zoha Rizwan
Posted on: April 02, 2015 | 
'Daddy' - A story of love and devotion
Mahesh Bhatt is a renowned director, producer and screenwriter, with many blockbusters to his credit: Lahu Ke Do Rang, Gumrah, Zakhm, Daddy, Gangster, Murder, Woh Lamhe – the list goes on and on. His legacy is proudly borne by his daughter, actress/director Pooja Bhatt. The father-daughter duo attended the ITF ’15 with their team and commended NAPA’s efforts. Despite facing visa issues, the professional team made it to NAPA’s stage and swept the audience off their feet with their dramatic performance. Before the play commenced, Zain Ahmed, artistic director Napa Repertory Theatre, expressed his gratitude to the whole team from India for honoring the ITF ‘15 with their exceptional performance.
Daddy marked Pooja Bhatt’s acting debut, directed by her real-life father Mahesh Bhatt. Mr. Bhatt commented on how some scenes in the movie were actually snippets from his own life. He stated that Pooja was a source of immense support for him throughout his battle against alcohol. “There was this time, when Pooja was on the movie set, sleeping, and I had the urge to drink. But there was a voice (inside me) that said: Mahesh, you may lie to your daughter, and to the rest of the world, but how can you lie to yourself?” The same dialogue is used in the movie.
Daddy is a story about the struggle of a daughter to support her estranged father of 17 years, to help him regain his lost respect in society, and freedom from alcohol addiction. Pooja, the female protagonist, was played by the beautiful Bharti Sharma, who did justice to Pooja Bhatt’s part in the film. Imran Zahid played Anand Sareen, the estranged father, and his natural talent brought tears in the eyes of many.
Pooja has been brought up by her grandparents, and is made to believe that her father, Anand, is dead. However, she discovers through her deceased mother’s diary that he is actually alive. Her Nana (grandfather) blames Anand for the death of her mother, who actually died in a car accident. Hence follows the daughter’s struggle to revive the real Anand Sareen and bring him back from the abyss of miseries that he’s lived in for more than a decade. Flashbacks of Anand and Priya’s (Pooja’s mother, played by Kanchan Yadav) romantic past, and the problems that followed due to Anand’s first marriage, are shown side by side. Pooja brings Anand back to life by reigniting his lost passion for love and art, and helps him get rid of his alcohol addiction.
The dialogues were exquisite, and the flawless delivery complemented each word. “It’s not only the right of the parent to be proud of their child, but also the right of the child to be proud of their parent” is just one of the thought-provoking dialogues from the play.
Mr. Bhatt shared his view that art has the ability to bring nations together and form spell-binding collaborations. Pooja also praised NAPA’s efforts and expressed her desire to perform in the ITF in the future.
All images courtesy of the official ‘I AM KARACHI’ Facebook page.
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