‘Badla’ Movie Review: A bone-chilling affair that will stimulate your brain

Directed by: Sujoy Ghosh

Produced by: Red Chillies Entertainment, Azure Entertainment

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Amrita Singh

Duration: 2 hours 1 minute

Bollywood Bubble Rating: 3.5/5

Even though ‘Badla’ is nowhere in the league of ‘Andhadhun’ as a thriller, it is still an engaging film that has plenty of twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seats. With stellar cinematography, riveting performances and a gripping background score, the movie wins on all counts. So much so that I could hear a man sitting behind me clap passionately every time Sujoy Ghosh deftly executed a smart twist.

The movie revolves around two deaths and Naina (Taapsee Pannu) is the main suspect. She hires Badal Gupta (Amitabh Bachchan), who has not lost a case for 40 years to help her avoid a jail sentence. We can’t tell you what happens next because that will reveal too much of the story.

Speaking about performances, both Taapsee Pannu and Amitabh Bachchan are at the top of their game. Taapsee has really come a long way as an actress and her character has a nice arc. She is one of the reasons why this thriller is believable and unpredictable at the same time. But the real winner is Amrita Singh who steals the show with her role. It’s refreshing to see her as a mother who is looking to decode her son’s death.

The movie is also filled with references to the ‘Mahabharata’ and witty dialogues like – “Kya main woh 6 dekh raha huu jo mujhe tum dikha rahi ho, ya woh 9 jo mujhe dekhna chahiye tha.” Needless to say, these dialogues (when delivered by Amitabh Bachchan’s baritone) do leave a smile on your face. A lot of plaudits must go to Sujoy Ghosh and Raj Vasant for writing a screenplay that respects the audience’s intellect and never wavers. Rest assured, for the two hours that you’ll watch this film, you’ll be engrossed in the world of Naina and Badal and forget about all your problems.

Final verdict:

A fine watch this weekend that can be enjoyed best with a cup of hot coffee.

Watch trailer: