Shadowbox 2025

Mikey and his stepmother Rose, played by Tillotama Shome, share a dangerous secret — they are contract killers and lovers. Despite Rose suffering from cancer, they continue with their grim line of work, showing a deep bond and resilience amid their bleak lives.

The story unfolds with Clayton, a powerful crime lord, suspecting that his pregnant wife [Vicki] is unfaithful. He hires Mikey, played by Suman Saha, and Rose to eliminate her. When they arrive at Clayton’s opulent mansion, Rose heads straight for Vicki’s bedroom while Vicki is on the phone with her best friend Neisha. The sudden arrival of Rose coincides with Vicki going into labor — her water breaks unexpectedly. Recognizing her vulnerability, Rose, using her medical skills, helps deliver Vicki’s baby, a boy whom she later names Anthony.

Following this emergency, Mikey and Rose take Vicki and her newborn to a nearby motel, showing both compassion and practicality in their grim line of work. At Rose’s insistence, Mikey contacts Dr. Don, Clayton’s personal doctor. Dr. Don, accompanied by his drug-addicted nurse and lover, Precious, arrives to provide medical aid. Despite Mikey’s objections, Rose convinces him to help Vicki and her baby find safety. The group then travels to Philadelphia, seeking refuge.

Meanwhile, Neisha arrives at Clayton’s estate, demanding to know the whereabouts of Vicki. Consumed by suspicion, Clayton begins to fear that she might be revealing their secrets. To silence her, he pays Mikey to poison her, which Mikey successfully does. The team subsequently relocates Vicki and Anthony to a secluded house in upstate Pennsylvania, while Mikey continues with his dangerous job alone, especially as Rose grows too ill to accompany him.

At Anthony’s first birthday party, Rose makes a dramatic decision driven by her desire to escape her suffering. She and Mikey have a passionate encounter deep in the woods, and during their intimacy, she asks Mikey to shoot her. As she reaches orgasm, she meets her end. Before dying, she asks Mikey to vow to protect Vicki and Anthony. Mikey agrees, and the family lives in peace for the next seven years.

However, trouble resurfaces when Precious discovers Dr. Don engaged in a compromising act with a patient, fueling feelings of betrayal. Vicki, now more protective of Anthony, notices him watching Mikey assemble a gun, which raises her concern. She eventually tells Mikey to leave, believing they no longer need his protection. Mikey, however, finds himself emotionally attached to Anthony and decides to stay.

Clayton learns from Precious that Vicki and Anthony are still alive. Furious, Clayton kills Precious in front of Dr. Don and wounds him. Mikey, once a professional hitman, begins to question his life of violence and vows that his next kill will be his last. When he checks into a hotel and opens his contract files, he finds a photo of himself and Vicki leaving their house, revealing the danger is closer than he thought. Panicked, Mikey calls Vicki, but Clayton’s bodyguard answers the phone, forcing Mikey to race home.

Clayton captures Mikey and tortures him in his basement — even cutting off one of his fingers with hedge clippers — while Vicki and Anthony are forced to witness this brutality. Clayton taunts Vicki, but Mikey manages to disarm his captors during the chaos. A fight ensues, and Mikey overpowers Clayton and his remaining henchmen. Just as Clayton is about to shoot Mikey, Anthony shoots and kills Clayton in the back. Mikey then dispatches Clayton’s unconscious guards, finally ending his reign of terror.

The story concludes with Mikey, Vicki, and Anthony escaping safely. In a poignant moment, Anthony asks Mikey if he is his father. Mikey confirms he is, warning him to stay vigilant. The boy responds with determination, saying, “We’ll kill ‘em,” highlighting the resilience and hope born from their brutal experiences, as they begin a new chapter together.