The list of remakes of South Indian films has now been joined by "Kaalidhar Laapata." This film is a remake of the 2019 Tamil film K.D. The special thing is that the original film's writer and director, Madhumita, has also directed this remake.
- Name: Kaalidhar Laapata
- Rating: 3/5
- Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Daivik Baghela, Nimrat Kaur
- Director: Madhumita
- Release Date: Jul 04, 2025
- Platform: ZEE5
- Language: Hindi
- Budget: N/A
Kaalidhar Laapata Review: Released on the OTT platform ZEE5, "Kaalidhar Laapata" is a film that attempts to show a blend of social realities and emotions. Abhishek Bachchan has played perhaps the most challenging role of his career in this film. Directed by Madhumita, this film is a Hindi remake of the 2019 Tamil film K.D.
While the original film told the story of an 80-year-old man, the Hindi version has been adapted to the environment and culture of North India. The film features Kaalidhar (Abhishek Bachchan), a man suffering from hallucinations. He does not want to sell his property and ancestral home at any cost, while his two younger brothers, Manohar (Vishwanath Chatterjee) and Sunder (Priyank Tiwari), are in debt and abandon him at a fair, reporting him missing to sell the property.
The friendship between Kaalidhar and Ballu becomes the soul of the story
The story takes a new turn after Kaalidhar is abandoned by his brothers. He gets lost and reaches an unknown village, where he meets Ballu (Daivik Baghela), an 8-year-old orphan. After initial hesitation and quarrels, a deep bond develops between the two. Ballu helps Kaalidhar fulfill his incomplete wishes, and the friendship that blossoms between them is the most powerful aspect of the film.
Child actor Daivik Baghela is amazing as Ballu. His acting is so natural that he often makes the story more impactful than Abhishek Bachchan.
Weaknesses in the Hindi remake
However, some links were weakened during the remake. For example, the film shows that Kaalidhar has a hallucination illness, but in many scenes, the writers seem to forget about this illness. Especially when Kaalidhar goes to meet his old girlfriend, his behavior seems completely normal, whereas some abnormality should have been visible due to the illness.
In addition, some scenes seem forced, such as the scene of the officer who came to inspect the food at the community kitchen, or Kaalidhar's over-dramatic style of eating biryani. All this slightly weakens the pace and seriousness of the story.
Abhishek Bachchan's hardworking acting, but...
Abhishek Bachchan has consistently chosen new and challenging roles in recent years. As Kaalidhar, he has successfully portrayed the image of a troubled, confused, and sad person. His facial expressions, dialogue delivery, and mannerisms reflect the character's suffering. But the loose screenplay sometimes does not allow his hard work to be fully effective. Even so, Abhishek's sincerity is evident, and he succeeds in gaining sympathy from the audience.
Supporting actors fulfilled their responsibilities
Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub shows complete honesty in his role as Subodh. Nimrat Kaur, in a guest role, did not get much screen time, but she makes an impact in whatever role she has. The film's music is by Amit Trivedi, which seems to blend with the story. Especially the song "Dil Banjara" touches the heart. The words written by Geet Sagar also give depth to the emotions. Cinematographer Garik Sarkar has skillfully captured the simplicity and beauty of the North Indian village in the camera, which becomes a b point of the film.
Simple message of emotions, but incomplete
The core message of "Kaalidhar Laapata" reflects simplicity and the importance of relationships. It shows how greed for money and property can make one's own relatives stoop to such a low level, and how an innocent child can give life hope again. However, due to some carelessness in the screenplay and weak editing, the film does not become entirely perfect. Many times the story seems scattered, which reduces its impact.
If you want to see a different side of Abhishek Bachchan and you like emotional stories, then you can definitely watch "Kaalidhar Laapata" once. The film has shortcomings, but the friendship between Ballu and Kaalidhar touches the heart, and that is what makes it worth watching.
