Who would have thought that the director of atrocious films like Hero and Chandni Chowk to China would've made a gripping and compelling movie like Batla House.
Batla House follows the story of the real life Batla House encounter, which became a huge controversy, and the impact it had on the Delhi Police and the encounter's leading man: ACP Sanjay Kumar.
From start to finish, this movie was captivating. The opening starts off with the encounter and the second it starts, your eyes are glued to the screen. I'm really surprised that Nikkhil Advani directed this movie because some of his previous films were not to my liking but here he's done an impressive job with the direction. Ritesh Shah's screenplay is well thought out and some of the dialogues he's written will initiate claps among the audience. I liked the realistic approach Shah took. It made the story feel much more believable in my eyes.
John Abraham did a great job here. He suits these types of roles and his restrained performance shows it. The film brought a lot of moments relating to the encounter and his personal life that developed his character so we fully understand what he's going through. Mrunal Thakur also did a good job. However I wish the film did a bit more with her character.
I thought the use of archive footage was a good choice since it made the movie feel more authentic. The film has a lot of social commentary about the mentality of the media and public. It's crazy to think how the public base their opinions on one side of the story without looking at the entire picture.
I have a few issues with the film. The pacing of the first half was a tad slow but eventually it picked up during the second half. The songs dragged on for a bit too long. If they shortened its length then I wouldn't have a problem with it. Whilst Advani's direction was good, I felt the action during the encounter could have been directed better.
All in all, Batla House is a riveting and engaging movie that teaches you about one of the most controversial cases in India in a very sincere manner. It's definitely worth a watch.
