Badla (2019) User Reviews

Even aft watching the original in 2017, i got pulled into seeing this cos of two reasons.

[Fella_shibby · 8/10 · 22 March 2019]

After having already seen The Invisible Guest in 2017 n having posted a review of it, two things really pulled me into seeing this official remake : the top notch cinematography n Mr. Bachan. The trailer looked as if they did more expenditure compared to the original n the movie proved it.

The plot is the same but with a small change, in the original, a businessman stands accused of murdering his lover as he was found with the lover's dead body in a locked hotel room. But in this case they made a businesswoman an accused.

The London locations r awesome, the marshland and woodlands of the rural area is picturesque. The spooky hotel a la The Shining in the middle of nowhere really stands out.

Another good aspect is that there r no songs n dance, no hero bashing goons matrix style, no jingoism, no six packs, etc.

BEST IN CLASS AND ITS GENRE!

[shikharyadav-75611 · 8/10 · 8 March 2019]

Simply outstanding. Without wasting time who are reading my review please do watch this mouth watering suspense mystery..2hours of pure class acting by whole cast.. Please go for it.

Gripping movie!!

[sriramthestranger · 8/10 · 23 January 2022]

Fantastic movie and performance from Amitabh and Tapsee. Keeps you guessing till the end and the plot twists are just brilliant. Do watch it if you have not watched the original!!

Spoiler Free Review of Badla

[mahendradhakerofficial · 10/10 · 9 March 2019]

#BadlaReview Sujoy Ghosh continuously failed to meet the expectations that he had created with Kahaani! But the expectations of his comeback were always high. Trailer made Badla look like that comeback movie. And yes, indeed it is that movie.

The whole cast's performances were very realistic and top class.

In this revenge Drama, not even a single character is set till the end. Every now and then you keep wondering who is protagonist and who is antagonist.

Oh, forgot to mention. There are some references to Mahabharata as well. Also, if you pay attention, below lines become very powerful.

• Me 6 dekhu jo tum mjhe dikha rhi ho ya isme chhipa hua 9 dekhu.
• Answers lies in the details.

So we all know that it's a revenge story (Title gives that away). But who is taking revenge? Is this revenge of only one person?

What I liked: Direction, acting of the entire cast especially Amitabh, Tapsee and Amrita, production value, screenplay, suspense.

What I didn't like: All the characters are shown very intelligent. I can accept that. But sometimes they do silly mistakes, which is not acceptable on seeing their intelligence.

Overall: There is not even a single frame that will bore you. Its one of the rare Bollywood movie which keep you engaged from the word GO. Badla is not one of its kind movie but its one of the best of its kind. Have you watched Kahaani, Drishyam or Andhdhun? Then you must watch #Badla.

Only one word "Awesome"

[menishantdabre · 10/10 · 9 March 2019]

Revenge is not right every time, and forgiveness is not right every time. And every time the truth is not "true", and every time lies are not "lies". very deep in Must watch 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Only one word "Awesome" and Suspense is something else ...

As stunning and thrilling as " drishyam".........or even more

[shashanktripathi-82505 · 10/10 · 8 March 2019]

Although it's a remake of "The Invisible Guest (Contratiempo) (2017) " Directed by my personal favorite"Oriol Paulo",sujoy ghosh with full awesomeness adapted and improvised the story. Amitabh bachchan,tapsee pannu as ovious did thier part awesomly. Tooth gripping, breath taking, forcing you to be on edge of your seats this movie will blow your mind away just like a shotgun fired on a point blank range

Film of the year

[Masteraslam786 · 9/10 · 8 March 2019]

Excellent film brilliant performance from the cast enjoyed it from start to finish best film of 2019

An interesting remake

[FrenchEddieFelson · 6/10 · 14 August 2019]

First thing first, be aware that this movie is a 99% remake of the excellent 2-year-old movie Contratiempo (2016). Just switch the genders and the Hispanic actors with hindi ones. In August 2019, both movies are available on Netflix but, for some unexplained reason, Netflix does not connect them in the 'more like this' section. That's weird!

Then, is Badla (2019) a bad remake? Objectively and definitely no! I think bad reviews come from anger at seeing a remake without knowing it. And that's fully understandable. You are now officially warned!

Finally, I catch a glimpse of two possibilities: 1) either you have already seen Contratiempo (2016) and I kindly invite you to strongly postpone the screening of this remake, unless you unfortunately suffer from Alzheimer or 2) you haven't already seen Contratiempo (2016) and you have the choice between a Hispanic atmosphere or a hindi one.

Best suspense thrill in Bollywood ever

[shubhamagangwar · 10/10 · 13 March 2019]

At the time of watching this movie, no can judge who is killer, this is all time best thriller pack of Bollywood i ever seen, must watch movie... 10/10 ratings, Acting also superb by all Specially all favorite Amitabh ji...

An Interesting Film, With A Weak Ending!

[namashi_1 · 6/10 · 10 March 2019]

An official adaptation of the Spanish Film "The Invisible Guest", Director Sujoy Ghosh's 'BADLA' is an interesting murder-mystery, that keeps you guessing. While not entirely unpredictable neither perfect, this atmospheric film is a ride you wouldn't mind taking.

'BADLA' Synopsis: When top businesswoman Naina (Taapsee) is accused of murdering her lover, she seeks help from a prolific lawyer Badal Gupta (Amitabh Bachchan) to defend her. Naina says she is innocent, but is she telling the truth?

'BADLA' is a cat and mouse film, where an accused and her lawyer discover each other, while taking us to the back story that involves the murder here in question. And Ghosh, also Writer here, adapts the story well. The mystery unfolds well, and its twisted-ness manages to hold your grip. A particular sub-plot involving a grieving mother (Amrita Singh) is well-done and gives the film a nice emotional spin. Singh, superb in the role, proves how underrated the veteran has remained almost all through her career.

The only glitch in Ghosh's Writing lies in its culmination. And for any suspense murder-mystery, the finale is the most crucial. But, sadly, 'BADLA' lacks the bite here. The main twist in the tale is rather implausible and will make you question it. In short, the film works until the end. A more cleverer end was the need here! The Dialogue are enjoyable. Ghosh's Direction is skilled and well-done. The director is in form this time. Avik Mukhopadhyay's Cinematography captures the grim beauty of Glasgow, brilliantly. Editing is razor-crisp, as the film wraps up under a neat 120-minutes. Art and Costume Design are top-notch. Background Score is first-rate.

Performance-Wise: Taapsee and Amitabh challenge each other with arresting turns. Taapsee captures the flawed woman with a fierceness that comes across as natural rather than overdone. And Amitabh, as always, commands the screen. It's been 50 years since this man started working in movies and even 5 decades later, there are a very few who can hold your attention like Bachchan does. In supporting roles, Manav Kaul is underused, while Tony Luke is fantastic and adds to the film's mystery, purely on the strength of his personality.

On the whole, 'BADLA' will keep you guessing. Just don't expect to be blown away when the final suspense reveals. A decent watch!

Gripping Thriller!!

[mdyaser123 · 8/10 · 12 March 2019]

A great mystery/thriller movie is the one where you guess something and it turns out to be wrong. This is that kind of movie. Acting is average from the supporting cast but the lead cast steals the show.

It's good to see Indian movies exploring different Genres. Even though it is a rip off of a foreign movie, you'll enjoy it if you haven't seen the original, like me...

Decent entertainment, interesting narrative

[Peter_Young · 6/10 · 28 March 2021]

Badla is a very good murder mystery by Sujoy Ghosh. The film flows really well and keeps commanding the viewers' attention all through, mainly thanks to the great narrative style. The film is set in a room where a lawyer interviews his client, a businesswoman who is accused of having murdered of her lover and maintains she is innocent. The style employed in the film, where multiple versions as imagined and recounted by either the lawyer or the woman take the form of a flashback, thus creating a myriad of different flashbacks and twists, is really captivating. Now, this is not an original film, it is an official remake, and I wouldn't go as far as to say it is a great film, but it's really very enjoyable and tense. The film's actors do very well and obviously Bachchan is the one who leads the cast with a predictably excellent performance, which only grows as the film goes on. As the manipulative and immoral leading lady, Taapsee Pannu does well with a fairly unlikable character. The great star of yore, Amrita Singh, is very convincing, and her screen presence is as strong and commanding as it used to be. Badla is an appreciable effort, an effective, twisted thriller well worth a watch.

A remake shouldn't mean copy paste

[yusufhotelwala · 4/10 · 9 March 2019]

When you watch a remake of an outstanding movie with some mind-blowing twist in the end and some amazing cinematography and acting, you already have your expectations at the next level. To be really fair, I was awestruck after watching "An invisible guest" and the effect it left after, but I still watched Badla with a neutral mind and gave it a genuine try. But at the end, I felt I just saw a translated version of it's original. It's a screen by screen copy paste along with 90 percent of the dialogues. The only change was the gender. Come on Ghosh ji, use some of your creativity. Why would you just remake the movie exactly the same. Remake doesn't mean copy paste. For instance, look at Don. That's a fab remake, it not only gave justice to it's predecessor but also took it to a different level. For those of you who liked Badla, just watch it's original and you will understand my super disappointment.

A must watch movie

[aakashpandeylpu · 9/10 · 8 March 2019]

Best movie of 2019 everyone should watch story and acting is the backbone of the movie

Outstanding!!!!!!!

[jamlu-16624 · 10/10 · 9 March 2019]

Badla is one of the best thriller I have seen in recent times! Edge to seat suspance till the end. Amitji was terrific and tapsee as usual doing great job!

The reviewers who gave it 1 star are true idiots!

[minunimion · 10/10 · 7 June 2021]

They give one star because it's a copy of another movie... so what? Can you believe the efforts and what they had to do to make a movie like this? Are you dumb? It is not possible to make a movie just using ctrl c and ctrl v, it's not copy and paste as in Word, are you out of your mind?

This movie is wonderful, it could have been done poorly with bad actors, bad direction, it's not, everything is almost perfect and I enjoyed both of the movies, the original and this one.

When you make a copy of another movie, successful movie, you have to work a lot to create a good movie, because it will be immediately compared with the original, it's a big, huge risk! Don't you understand that?

Highly recommended!

Amazing. Worth the watch.

[lillmshadab · 9/10 · 8 March 2019]

Its an amazing movie, 1 star less just cuz its a remake. Both characters r well written n shud i talk abt acting skills of AB.. NAA... Let his records speak fr him.

Official Remake, but doesn't stand out - Better watch the Original

[nirajju · 6/10 · 9 March 2019]

With such powerhouse of talent in the film's credits, I felt somewhat let down by the execution & acting. Apart from Amrita Singh, I felt the actors were all trying to look too brooding & serious to match the storyline. And some overacting too. Few minutes into the movie & we could understand what the whole story is. May be it should have been titled something else than "Revenge". The director should have taken cue from why the Spanish moviemaker of the "The Invisible Guest" chose to keep it vague. The Spanish movie is the basis of this film & after watching the trailer of this foreign movie, I feel Sujoy Ghosh had kept the movie running on his laptop while he shot the film alongside on the sets. Expected some improvisation from the 'Kahani' storyteller.

Suspense and thrill

[nirantar-narayan · 8/10 · 8 March 2019]

If you think that this is a sequel to the PINK with a social cause and court room drama then you are mistaken . This is a thriller mystery film with suspense and chill . Shot in UK the story starts very slowly with conversation and narratives ...And picks up the speed with revelation and punches ... And picks up the great work of spellbound tight script and leaves you bemused Everybody is a class in itself

A Good watch for the viewers who do not watch International Cinema

[kinshuk-gaur · 7/10 · 9 March 2019]

Badla is definitely an engrossing movie for viewers who have not seen the original. Badla is a scene by scene remake of the Spanish thriller "The Invisible Guest". The only difference is the protagonists are flipped. Having said that the movie still delivers and keeps the audience guessing.

The positives of the movie are good acting by Amitabh Bachchan who keeps the spectators guessing with his screen presence and Amrita Singh as a suffering mother. Top notch cinematography and thankfully no songs. The movie moves with a good pace which is an essential requirement of a thriller.

Sujoy Ghosh adapted screenplay and direction is good. Ghosh has done a fair job compared to other filmmakers who are blindly copying stories and remaking.

Badla's weakest link is the main lead Tapsee Pannu who is not convincing in her act as a shrewd business woman. Rest of the characters also are not in finesse compared to the original movie.

Though the original is a classic masterpiece and by no means I am comparing. Overall, a good watch for the audience who do not watch International cinema. The bottom line is Bollywood movie makers need to be smart as Indian audience now have access to the International Cinema and they need to focus on original stories rather merely adapting from around the world.

Twist on every step.

[pankajnarwal · 10/10 · 9 March 2019]

Thriller in full movie. All about this movie is excellwnt with the acting of amitabh bachan to amrita singh...👌👌

Well-paced Bollywood thriller.

[Amyth47 · 6/10 · 8 March 2019]

My Rating : 6/10

No, this is nowhere as good as the original but an okay attempt and I'm certain there will be some viewers who would have little interest in the Spanish version so this will work well in their favour as they will have the pleasure-of-the-first-vision. For those who have seen the original you will always be comparing the two and having known the story you will mostly watch out of curiosity to see how they have adapted it for the Indian audience.

Good points - I liked the Mahabharata references a lot - gives it a nice Indian feel. Tapsee and Amitabh Sir make a good combination as previously seen in 'Pink'. Good work by Amrita Singh as well. Background score is well-done. The dark cinematography is seriously a very nice touch and makes it interesting to watch on a rainy day.

Bad points - Tony Luke's acting as Arjun is very much the weakest link and seriously unconvincing. Wish they had chosen a different actor who could lend credibility to the role. Some aspects are under-developed plot-wise and the twists and turns are sometimes not as precise and sharp.

Overall, if you are into thrillers you'll certainly love the dark-noir atmosphere and the twists and turns.

Ctrl+C > Ctrl+V = Inspiration for Bollywood !! What a Shame !!

[hriday123 · 1/10 · 20 July 2019]

I always wonder why Bollywood has to inspire this much which leads to copy paste only !!! We have many great writers/novels/short stories to make movies !!

Even Amitabh choose to work this kinda movie is indeed shows his desperation to earn money I feel because as an actor he doesn't has anything to prove anymore and he has super power, why can't he pledge to work on creative/fresh/genuine script only !!

if you see any good review of acting, cinematography and all...they don't know what is cinema !!

Rather watch original movie !

Best of Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee & Amrita Singh

[JigarPatel11 · 10/10 · 12 March 2019]

First let me give credits to the original movie The Invisible Guest (2016). Awesome remake. This movie keeps you hooked to the screen till the last second. Brilliant thriller and fantastic performances by every character.

Best movie in the recent times

[rs-84184 · 10/10 · 12 March 2019]

Best suspense thriller movie, i you didn't watch it then please go and watch. Don't waste your time in checking reviews.