Movie Review: Daveed (2025) – A Mixed Punch in the Ring of Sports Dramas
Daveed, a 2025 Indian Malayalam-language sports drama directed by debutant Govind Vishnu, steps into the ring with ambition, aiming to deliver a knockout underdog story. Starring Antony Varghese Pepe in the lead role as Aashiq Abu, a former boxer seeking redemption, the film has garnered attention for its engaging moments but also criticism for its missteps. Now streaming on ZEE5 in its Tamil-dubbed version as of May 10, 2025, Daveed offers a blend of emotional highs, predictable tropes, and some glaring flaws that leave it as a contender rather than a champion in the sports drama genre.
The film’s narrative follows a classic David-and-Goliath arc, a trope familiar to sports dramas. Aashiq Abu, portrayed by Antony Varghese Pepe, is a retired boxer who has left the ring behind for a quieter life, burdened by past failures and personal struggles. When circumstances pull him back into the world of boxing, Abu must confront his demons—both in and out of the ring—to face a formidable opponent who outclasses him in every way. The screenplay, co-written by Govind Vishnu and Deepu Rajeevan, attempts to navigate the predictability of this setup by focusing on Abu’s emotional journey, but it doesn’t always succeed in dodging clichés.
From the opening scenes, Daveed establishes a gritty tone. The cinematography by Salu K. Thomas captures the raw energy of the boxing world, with dimly lit gyms and sweat-soaked training montages that aim to immerse the audience. The visuals are one of the film’s stronger aspects, particularly in the way they frame Abu’s transformation.
Antony Varghese Pepe’s physical commitment to the role is evident—he reportedly worked hard to get lean for the part, though some reviews note that the camerawork cleverly hides his “unfit belly” during the climactic showdown. This dedication adds authenticity to his portrayal, even if the film’s depiction of boxing itself falters.
Where Daveed shines is in its emotional core. Antony Varghese delivers a compelling performance as Abu, balancing vulnerability and determination. His chemistry with the supporting cast, including Lijomol Jose, Vijayaraghavan, Saiju Kurup, and Kichu Tellus, adds depth to the story. Lijomol Jose, in particular, brings a quiet strength to her role, providing an emotional anchor for Abu’s journey.
The film’s exploration of Abu’s personal struggles—his guilt, his fractured relationships, and his quest for redemption—resonates, especially in quieter moments where the focus shifts away from the ring and into his inner turmoil. These scenes, paired with a haunting background score, elevate Daveed beyond a mere sports flick, making it a drama about resilience and self-discovery.
However, for every step forward, Daveed takes a stumble. The film’s pacing, supervised by editor Rakesh Cherumadam, feels uneven at times. While the buildup to the climactic fight is engaging, the editing in the boxing sequences is lackluster, failing to capture the intensity and rhythm that such scenes demand. Critics have pointed out the “lame” editing, and it’s hard to disagree—punches lack impact, and the choreography feels disjointed, undermining the stakes of the final showdown.
For a sports drama, where the action is as crucial as the emotion, this is a significant letdown.
More troubling is the film’s apparent lack of understanding of boxing as a sport. Reviews have been scathing about the inaccuracies: sparring without mouthguards, smoking after training, and a match approval without proper weight class considerations paint a picture of a film that exists in “an alternative parallel universe,” as one IMDb reviewer put it. These details might seem minor to casual viewers, but for anyone with even a passing knowledge of boxing, they’re glaring errors that break immersion. The climactic fight, in particular, stretches believability to its limits.
Abu, a retired MMA fighter, takes on a top-class boxer in the first round despite being from a different weight class—a scenario that, as critics note, would realistically end in disaster, if not death. The film opts for a lighter, more optimistic conclusion, but this choice feels unearned given the buildup.
The screenplay, while earnest, also struggles with originality. Despite the writers’ efforts to avoid clichés, some are unavoidable in a genre as well-trodden as this. The training montage, the inspirational speeches, and the inevitable comeback all feel familiar, and Daveed doesn’t do enough to subvert these tropes or offer a fresh perspective. Swathi P Ajith from Onmanorama noted that the film “may not have the scale of a Hollywood sports drama,” but its effort and Pepe’s performance hold it together. This is true to an extent, but the lack of innovation in the storytelling prevents Daveed from standing out in a crowded field.
On the technical front, the film is a mixed bag. The production values, backed by John & Mary Productions, Panorama Studios, Aby Alex Abraham, and Tom Joseph, are decent for a debut project, but there’s a sense that the budget constrained some of the film’s ambitions. The boxing arenas lack the grandeur of a high-stakes match, and the crowd scenes feel sparse, which undercuts the tension. On the other hand, the sound design is effective, with the thuds of gloves and the roar of the crowd (however small) adding some much-needed energy to the fight sequences.
Ultimately, Daveed is a film of missed opportunities. It has the ingredients for a compelling sports drama—a talented cast, a promising director, and a story with emotional weight—but it falters in execution. The boxing inaccuracies, uneven pacing, and reliance on genre tropes hold it back from greatness. Antony Varghese Pepe’s performance and the film’s heartfelt moments are its saving graces, making it a worthwhile watch for those who can overlook its flaws. Critics have been divided: the Times of India gave it a 3.5-star rating, praising its execution, while IMDb reviews are harsher, averaging a 5.9 rating and calling it a “major missed opportunity.”
For fans of Malayalam cinema or sports dramas, Daveed offers enough to justify a stream on ZEE5, especially for Antony Varghese’s standout performance. But for those expecting a knockout punch, this film lands more like a glancing blow—a good effort, but not quite a champion. I’d rate it a 6.5/10, a score that reflects its heart but also its shortcomings.
