Overview
A gripping tale of deception and intrigue unfolds as a woman fights to prove her innocence.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- tense
- cerebral
- paranoid
- mystery night
- twist ending marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film stylish, captivating, and suspenseful, with strong performances and an effective climax, while noting occasional predictability and implausibility.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Badal Gupta tests Naina Sethi's version of events through sustained discussion in a highly contained setting.
Naina's account of Arjun Joseph's death develops through loopholes, lies, and changing interpretations of the day's events.
The murder case is connected to aggrieved characters seeking consequences for past wrongdoing.
Much of the storytelling occurs in one room as Badal and Naina reconstruct the crime through conversation.
Films like Badla, and why
The Invisible Guest
A contained mystery thriller built around interrogation, shifting testimony, and a high-stakes murder case.
The Body
A morally charged murder mystery whose central perspective is repeatedly reframed through revelations and reversals.
The Usual Suspects
A suspenseful courtroom-adjacent investigation driven by deception, hidden motives, and escalating uncertainty.
Movie Details
- Director
- Sujoy Ghosh
- Release Date
- 2019-03-08
- Runtime
- 120 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (181)
Cast
- Amitabh Bachchan
- Taapsee Pannu
- Tony Luke
- Amrita Singh
- Manav Kaul
- Tanveer Ghani
- Denzil Smith
- Mark Mansfield
- April Agarwal-Aplin
- Rachel Flynn
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
- Rent
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Badla about?
- A celebrated defense lawyer interrogates a seemingly cornered entrepreneur whose account of her lover’s murder keeps opening new paths to guilt, deception, and revenge.
- What is Badla like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Badla as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Badla violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Badla as mild.
- What did critics think of Badla?
- Critics broadly found the film stylish, captivating, and suspenseful, with strong performances and an effective climax, while noting occasional predictability and implausibility.
- Which films are like Badla?
- Films with a similar feel include The Invisible Guest, The Body, and The Usual Suspects.
- How long is Badla?
- Badla runs 120 minutes.
- Where can I watch Badla?
- In United States, Badla streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
