Suspense and thriller is a genre where Bollywood has always been at a backfoot. There are very few films that are memorable. Possibly, in recent years one such movie was KAHAANI (2012), directed by Sujoy Ghosh.
The ace director comes yet again with a suspense thriller ''BADLA" As a result, the expectations are naturally high and the buzz was created from the moment the first look of the movie was out.
Another reason which created curiosity among the audience was that ''BADLA'' reunites the actors of much-loved courtroom drama PINK Mr. Amitabh Bachchan and Tapsee Pannu.
Plot
‘BADLA’ is a remake of brilliant Spanish Thriller “The Invisible Guest”. The story revolves around a person accused of murder trying to prove her innocence. The drama majorly unfolds between two characters Naina (Tapsee Pannu) and Badal Gupta (Amitabh Bachchan).
The tried formula for revenge is the main crux of the story. Tapsee Pannu plays the role of a successful businesswoman married in London.
There is a sudden 360-degree turn in her life when she is accused of murdering her lover, Arjun Joseph (Tony Luke). All shreds of evidence are against Naina. Naina’s lawyer Jimmy Punjabi (Manav Kaul) hires an expert defence attorney Badal Gupta (Amitabh Bachchan) to ensure that she doesn’t have to go to jail. Badal meets Naina and the story start to unravel.
Direction
The direction of Sujoy Ghosh is outstanding. It is his sharp direction and tight adapted screenplay that holds the attention of the audience. Although by the second half you are able to predict where the climax is heading to, still there is enough dose of twists and turns that keep you engaged.
Oriol Paulo’s story (the original writer) is quite impressive and Sujoy has very convincingly restructured the screenplay keeping in mind the Indian viewership. Badla could have been slightly shorter and a bit edgier, but these are minimal flaws that can be overlooked.
Performances
Both the main leads Amitabh Bachchan and Tapsee Pannu deliver a memorable performance. They are convincing in their roles. The way different shades of the character of Tapsee Pannu unfold is praiseworthy. Throughout the movie, it is difficult to understand is Naina a victim or not.
It is hard to believe that such a character can be written for actors of the senior lot.
She has yet again proved that she has a lot more left in her and deserves to be seen more often on screen. Manav Kaul in a special appearance did justice to his role. Tony Luke, who debuts with this movie, was comfortable and has portrayed the character with aplomb. He has an accent but here it works in his favor.
Music & other Technicalities
BADLA does not have any songs and this works in favour of the narrative. Clinton Cerejo’s background score is engaging and suits the mood of the film. The cinematography of the film is of top-notch.
The countryside visuals are stunning. The art direction and production design of the movie are average. Overall, BADLA is an impressive suspense thriller. After the debacle of KAHAANI 2, Sujoy Ghosh returns with a well-made movie. The shocking climax and solid performances ‘BADLA’ will hold strong at the Box Office.
For me, it was 3.5 stars.
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