Critics Review:
Power often presents itself as protection. But sometimes, it is merely a disguise for control. Kennedy, directed by Anurag Kashyap and starring Rahul Bhatt, explores this unsettling paradox with brutal honesty. What appears to be a crime thriller on the surface gradually unfolds into something deeper. A commentary on how systems designed to uphold justice can slowly mutate into machines of manipulation.
After travelling through several international film festivals and generating curiosity among cinephiles, Kennedy finally reached a wider audience through ZEE5. The film arrived with the reputation of being controversial, intense, and unapologetically dark. And in many ways, it lives up to all three labels.
But beyond the noir aesthetics and violent undertones, the film is ultimately about a man shaped by the very system that claims to control him.
The Making of an Anti-Hero
Rahul Bhatt plays Kennedy, a character who does not fit neatly into traditional categories of hero or villain. His existence is the result of a deeply flawed structure where morality becomes negotiable and survival becomes the only guiding principle.
At first glance, Kennedy appears to be an enforcer. A man operating within the shadows of authority. But the narrative slowly reveals that he is less a criminal by choice and more a product of circumstances manufactured by corruption. The system that created him also fears him. And the very rules he was forced to bend eventually begin to consume him.
What makes the character compelling is the emotional distance he carries. Kennedy is not loud in his rebellion. His anger is quiet. His violence measured. His silence is often more revealing than his words.
As viewers, we do not simply observe his transformation. We experience it with him. Each decision he takes feels like another step deeper into a world where redemption becomes increasingly difficult to imagine.
The System That Creates Its Own Monsters
One of the most unsettling aspects of Kennedy is the way it exposes the exploitation of power. Authority in the film does not operate as a protective shield for society. Instead, it behaves like a marketplace where influence, greed, and manipulation determine outcomes.
The narrative shows how the selfish ambition of a few individuals can destroy multiple lives simultaneously. Careers are built on betrayal. Loyalties are traded for convenience. And truth becomes an expendable commodity.
In this ecosystem, Kennedy becomes both the weapon and the casualty.
The film does not romanticise corruption. Instead, it examines how easily people adapt to it. The characters in the story constantly blur the line between the acceptable and the unforgivable. What begins as compromise gradually evolves into something far more sinister. And by the time the characters realise what they have become, the damage is already irreversible.
A World Drenched in Moral Ambiguity
Anurag Kashyap’s storytelling often thrives in uncomfortable spaces, and Kennedy is no exception. The narrative avoids easy moral judgments. No character exists in absolute purity. Every individual is navigating shades of grey.
This moral ambiguity is what makes the story linger long after the film ends. The audience is not given the comfort of clear answers. Instead, they are left with a lingering unease.
Is Kennedy a criminal shaped by his choices? Or is he a victim of a system that manufactured him?
The film never rushes to resolve this tension. Instead, it allows the viewer to sit with discomfort.
Darkness That Demands Empathy
Despite its dark and violent landscape, the film manages to create an emotional connection with its central character. Kennedy’s journey is not just about crime or survival. It is about identity.
He exists in a world where loyalty is fragile and trust is temporary. Yet somewhere beneath the hardened exterior lies a man struggling to retain fragments of humanity and end the life of the man who killed his beloved son just to punish him.
This emotional complexity transforms the film from a conventional thriller into a psychological exploration of power, guilt, and consequence.
Final Word
Kennedy is not an easy watch. It is intense, layered, and deliberately unsettling. But it is also deeply thought-provoking. The film compels its audience to question the structures that define justice and authority.
By placing an anti-hero at its centre, the narrative exposes how systems built on compromise inevitably create individuals who reflect that same compromise. For viewers who enjoy morally complex storytelling and unconventional thrillers, Kennedy offers an experience that stays with you long after the credits roll. It is not merely a story about crime. It is a reminder that sometimes the most dangerous villain is the one whom you trust the most and serve without questions.
Overall Rating: 4/5
By: Anushka Singhal
