Badlapur: A review


Just finished watching Badlapur: Don't miss the beginning. The phrase is part of the name, not my addition. 

 Badlapur is all about Revenge. A bank robbery and a chance murder catapults the lives of all the characters into a never ending boiling cauldron. Varun Dhawan, a twenty something actor has pulled off a very tricky role, with panache. Playing the brooding widower baying for the blood of the murderer, he is stunning. 

 Nawazzudin, as the bank robber Laik Muhammad, gives a superlative performance. Together they do a perfect tango, of hatred and vengeance. 
When Laik and Harman (Vinay Pathak) accidentally kill Misha (Yami Gautam), Raghav's (Varun) wife and their son Robin, Raghu takes to the streets, his heart set on revenge. He extracts his due fully, slowly, painfully, revelling in his torturous routine. Varun has given a spectacular performance, leaving behind many such anti-heroes far behind. You won't be able to believe the metamorphosis of the sweet faced Varun of Student of the Year to the dark and sinister, calculating cold blooded murderer Raghu. 

 Yes, this post seems like a fan post of Varun Dhawan, but, the boy has pulled off a very difficult role very well. When you compare a recently released Ek Villain with Badlapur, the latter takes the cake. Though you can feel intense hatred for Riteish, the emotional upheavals that Nawazzudin takes you through is unbelievable. Your heart goes out to the pain in Varun's eyes when he sees his small son's body after post mortem. The director has paid a lot of attention to details and does not insult the intelligence of the audience, leaving behind a mesmerising cinematic effort.

 Badlapur is refreshing, riveting and immersive. This one is a must watch, especially for the stunning performances of Nawazzudin and Varun. 

 A special mention to the others: Yami does a perfect foil to Varun's exuberance, while Pratima Kazmi plays the anguished mother very well. Radhika Apte is great but has a very small part to play in this vengeance drama. Vinay Pathak's performance is understated but superb. Huma is a charmer, so is the stunner Divya Dutta, as the NGO worker. 

 Rating: 4/5
Disclaimer: This one is not for children! 


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