Batla House Movie Review: John Abraham shines in Nikkhil Advani’s investigative drama

John Abraham, over the years, has carved a niche for himself in Bollywood. The actor has proved his mettle in patriotic films such as Parmanu, Madras Cafe and Satyamev Jayate. Now, the actor is back in action with Nikkhil Advani's action thriller Batla House. The film is inspired by the true events that happened in September 2008 during an encounter between the Delhi Police and suspected terrorists. Besides John Abraham, Batla House also features Mrunal Thakur and Ravi Kishan in lead roles and is set for Independence Day 2019 release, where it will face the box-office battle with Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan starrer Mission Mangal.

Batla House Plot

The film attempts to unravel the truth behind the 2008 encounter with alleged terrorists that took place at Batla House in Jamia Nagar in Delhi. On September 13, 2008, a series of bomb blasts in Delhi claimed over 26 lives and injured over 133 people. An operation was conducted on September 2008 by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police, who raided a flat in Batla House. 

Certain political leaders and media, however, termed the encounter as fake. Re-examining the infamous encounter case, John essays the character of ACP Sanjay Kumar, who spearheaded the operation. The film revolves around the real-life struggles of a cop’s life (Sanjay Kumar aka John Abraham), where he tries to strike a harmonious balance between his personal and professional life.  

Batla House Movie Review

At the very beginning, we hear a woman ranting at her husband complaining about how his duty as a cop has become more important than their marriage. At once, it is established that John Abraham (ACP Sanjay Kumar) is a truthful and dedicated police officer as a wife (Mrunal Thakur aka Nandita) points out how after 6 medals also there is no stopping him from being the ‘good cop’.  We also get to realize the couple is undergoing some marital issues. On top of that Nandita is forced to take a neutral stand at work (she’s a television news anchor) against her husband’s methods.

ACP Sanjay Kumar’s life as a disciplined and dedicated cop begins to fall out when an investigation turns into an unauthorized encounter.  Also, an inspector KK played by Ravi Kishan gets fatally wounded under Sanjay’s investigation. As several media and politicians term the investigation as ‘fake encounter’, Sanjay Kumar is wracked with guilt. He also begins to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  He even starts doubting himself and, also asks wife Nandita, “Were we wrong?”.

The first half of Batla House is crisp, engaging and filled with some raw action. John Abraham as ACP Sanjay Kumar is convincing all the way as he emotes a conflux of disappointment and anger of hapless officer who faces the trial both within and outside the court for his fight against terrorism. Mrunal Thakur as wife Nandita is the like the pillar of his strength even though she disagrees and fights with him at times. Ravi Kishan has a very small role as inspector KK but has played his part well.

The direction and editing are crisp. The way the flashbacks are told is edgy making sure that the audience is absolutely engrossed in the narrative.
The second half is saturated with emotions, salvaged by the director before becoming over-dramatic. At this point, we do feel that the film gets lengthy and would have been shortened by some good minutes. There are times when it seems that the film is coming to an end soon, but then at the very last minute, we are directed to a new perspective altogether.

Batla House Final Verdict

This John Abraham starrer is a gripping and intense movie, which surely makes for a good Independence Day watch. True to its genre, there is mystery and thriller, which will keep you engaged all the way. 

Batla House Trailer