You are here:

Daud

Name: Daud
Director: Ram Gopal Varma
Released: 1997
Duration: 180 min

Representation Score

4.4/10

Fair

1997

Not Rated

Director

Ram Gopal Varma

Runtime

180 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Daud functions as a gritty crime noir that prioritizes urban realism over traditional Bollywood melodrama. It finds its strength in deconstructing conventional moral frameworks by focusing on characters living on the fringes of society. However, the film remains tied to traditional social hierarchies. The narrative is heavily centered on masculine archetypes and lacks progressive representation regarding gender and LGBTQ+ identities. While it captures the multicultural essence of an Indian metropolis, it does not actively work to disrupt ethnic or social hierarchies, settling instead for a standard regional portrayal.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Daud have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film does not include explicit LGBTQ+ characters or stories. Instead, it focuses on the criminal underworld, which centers around traditional social structures.

How does Daud portray gender?

Fair

The story emphasizes a male-dominated criminal hierarchy. While the protagonist plays a significant role, the roles reinforce traditional masculine archetypes of power and violence.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Daud?

Fair

Set in an urban Indian setting, the film reflects a multicultural metropolitan reality. It showcases a diverse range of regional identities inherent to the city.

How does Daud represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative adopts a lens of moral relativism by centering on thieves and gangsters. It prioritizes survivalist ethics over traditional family or religious institutions.

Does Daud include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no discernible evidence regarding the portrayal of physical or neurodivergent disabilities within the narrative.

Present on Screen

Challenges traditional morality by centering on characters operating outside state-sanctioned ethics.
Reflects a multicultural urban reality through its diverse regional and ethnic casting.
Explores the survivalist ethics of the underworld rather than sanctified social values.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities or narratives that critique heteronormativity.
Reinforces traditional masculine archetypes within a male-dominated criminal hierarchy.
Provides no discernible portrayal of physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Official Synopsis

A notorious gangster asks a career thief by the name of Nandu to steal a package worth over one crore rupees for a fee.

How are these scores produced? →