Badlapur

From the first moment you set your eyes on the movie, you know that it's going to be highly stylish one. And it is! Not your Once Upon a Time in Mumbai sort of stylish. Rather stylish in truer and grittier sense.

The characters were just fabulous. You don't know whom to call the victim and whom the culprit. Just an unfortunate event that sets off a chain reaction transforming every one in the process for the good or worse.

The charms of the movie: Varun and Nawazuddin. The one I liked more was Varun for a very simple reason. Nawazuddin is an acclaimed actor though underrated. It's Varun who broke the stereotype chocolate boy image and got onto a new avatar. One that's disturbing and at the same time interesting. The only thing is, Varun's voice seemed childish in some scenes that demanded more impact. Other than that, Varun has my respect. Nawazuddin is Nawazuddin. I watch his every movie just to see him in action. Enough Said!

The twists and turns in this movie seemed natural. Never forced. Unlike other bollywood movies, where the twists are introduced out of nowhere, this one had twists that baffled me with it's sheer brilliance. The gore is limited to just few minutes but enough to make a huge impact.

The comedy is unintentional yet brilliant. The dialogues are not intended to make you laugh. But you laugh anyway. Even after the movie has ended. WOW! 2015 has been so good this far. Hope this continues for the rest of the year. Ugly, Baby, and now this.

I'll not urge you to watch this movie if you like masala movies Or, if you intend to watch a family movie. But, if you want a taste of the nastier grittier stuff bollywood has to offer, I can't think of a better movie right now than this one.

You'll either love this movie. Or, hate it. But this movie will definitely make an impact on you. That fer sure.

After a long time I watched a good Bollywood movie. The movie revolves around the concept of revenge. But as you would have seen so many movies regarding that, so why watch this? This is why, this movie is more practical than many of the other movies. Here the protagonist is not ethically correct every time and that is true for any common man. In the end, the movie has a message for people who thinks revenge is the best way.

Extremely well chosen actors, from Nawaz to Divya, all have acted well. Nawazuddin has done a extremely stunning performance and shows the mettle to outshine any protagonists in the movie. Varun Dhawan for a change has done a very good work unlike his usual style of chocolate boy. Must watch for people who can handle a bit of gore.

Other reviewers have appreciated the movie but has under-rated it, but I must say, it is an 8 all the way.

I was really impressed to see something this good from bollywood. The acting was phenomenal from nawaz, varun, huma and vinay. But the best part is the direction. There was sufficient character development. U feel sympathy even for the bad guys. Sriram raghavan is a brilliant director. The climax between varun and nawaz is another highlight of this film. Revenge can send people on a journey that will take em places far darker than they would have ever dared go before. This film is also about the madness a person is capable of. This film is dark, violent, explicit n at times disturbing. The scene wher nawaz keeps on trying to escape from the prison was funny.

Badlapur is a well-made and highly enjoyable thriller cum psychological drama. Sriram Raghavan has already proved time and again his knack for this kind of thing, and the results here are very good albeit, honestly, not his best. The director's unique style of symbolism along with a very matter-of-fact portrayal of the events and some superb camera work, works to great effect. The sex sequences, however, looked forced and not very credible and provided nothing but occasional shock value in what could have been bold but clean entertainment. Needless to say, technically the film is an absolute winner, and the dark narrative is aided by great music.

The film is gripping and tense, but it has meaning and works as an absorbing dramatic story which dives well into the psyche of the protagonist. Beneath the surface, it poses interesting philosophical questions on the nature of revenge and the point of its outcome. On the one hand, it gives the avenger a purpose and a possibility of psychological redemption as well as a feeling that justice was made. On the other, it is destructive, empty and doesn't let him go on with life. Both these facets of the concept of revenge are very well portrayed here through the journey of the protagonist, whose wife and child were killed by two criminals.

The film is led by a flawed yet competent performance from Varun Dhawan. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is excellent as the foe, and so is Vinay Pathak. Among the women, Huma Qureshi is very strong in a supporting role of an atypical prostitute, and Radhika Apte does very well later on. Even in the smallest of parts, Ashwini Kalsekar can be trusted to leave a mark (she was phenomenal in Andhadhun). This is generally true of Divya Dutta but she gets a preachy, wishy-washy role. Yami Gautam is luminous. The film ends on a slightly sugarcoated note but provides a long-needed catharsis to this intense story. Indian film noir, indeed.

I think it is Ugly, in the recent crop of Bollywood flicks, that matches the grimness of Badlapur. Whereas conventional Bollywood flicks are painted in colourful palette, Badlapur is done in shades of grey that is never afraid to go dark, but refuses to go white. Its darkness made me swoon on my seats. Its boldness enthralled me. This is the noir Bollywood has been waiting for. In Badlapur, the director has created two main characters that turn the very conventional ideas of protagonist and antagonist on its head and delivery a dark, comic, intense thriller that glued me to my seat in the first half, but falters in the second half where it tries to give intensity to the changing dynamics between the two main characters, but falters because the screenplay in the second half could not throw the same punch it did in the first half. The build up was definitely great and it showed itself in the stronger moments of second half, but as the story veered to its climax, it starts turning the whole revenge story upside down which is beautiful, but could not bring the same intensity and sharpness. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is the star of the movie. He is a phenomenon. Varun Dhawan comes second best. His acting is fine and his acting shows the intensity his character requires, but his voice does not live up to it. Overall, a must watch. Not for those who love the usual Bollywood fare.