Batla House Review {3.0}: Strictly a must watch for John Abraham fans
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It is year 2008 and a section of media, a particular community, power hungry politicians and conniving bureaucrats are crying hoarse over controversial ‘Batla House operation’ presided by Special cell of Delhi Police. ACP Sanjay Kumar and his team are finding it extremely difficult to carry out further investigation in such hostile environment. Labelled as ‘fake encounter’, Delhi Police are fighting tooth and nail to prove it otherwise.
Nikhil Advani’s BATLA HOUSE traces that journey of ACP Kumar from fateful night of July 2008 to September 2013. It is essentially a reprised version of real life police operation that almost questioned their intentions and integrity pushing them further into a moral abyss.
Right in the beginning, the film decides to take an extreme position instead of walking a middle path. Fortunately, by mid-way it turns into a balanced proposition. Chasing the mastermind of the serial bomb blasts and blowing up the lead over their undercover activities becomes the sole aim of Sanjay Kumar and co.
Once more through BATLA HOUSE, John Abraham in uniform of ACP Kumar, minces no words in stating a recurring fact that a criminal belongs to no community, caste or religion. And if his actions snuff out lives of innocent citizens of India than Police will put him behind the bars unmindful of his kaum or mulk.
Point noted but John and Nikhil take few botched-up search operations, marathon chase and a dull court drama to reach the conclusion. The film wastes precious minutes in building John’s mental frame that has taken a beating due to constant blame game unleashed by his senior officers. Also, his troubled marriage with newbie, Mrunal Thakur flashes every now and then like a painful reminder. Watching their long sullen faces adds to the gloominess and negativity of the surrounding.
On brighter side, the film is completely justified in condoning the brain-drain of young and hardly educated youth mislead by the false propaganda of their own community heads. Indeed, it ticks off all the right boxes when showcasing the ugly side of appeasement politics played only to win share of a particular vote bank.
Intention is right but that josh is missing
John may tearfully glance at Tiranga or respectfully read the Holy Quran but nothing incites even mild level of patriotism due to its sluggish pace. Apart from several amateurish court versions of the same incident, very little action happens in between. Agreed that the director never intended to make a crowd-pleasing film or play to the gallery by dishing out love-thy-country sermons but a non-engaging storyline simply trumps our patience. Strangely, help arrives in form of now-compulsory item song in John’s films. Watching Nora Fatehi shimmy to yesteryear’s O Saki Saki Re song lifts up the gloom and doom momentarily.
But BATLA HOUSE is brave enough to point out fingers at the then government for its soft approach towards a particular community which appears downright baffling to the audience as well as the protagonist. Action sequences are technically sound with all facts and figures in place. In the bargain, John gets a chance to flex his muscles and twitch his face several times to please his fan base.
Judging by his record of past hits, he seems to have consciously veered towards real life victories that have also bought laurels in return… PARMANU, SATYAMEVA JAYATE , ROMEO AKBAR WALTER to name a few. Here too, he enacts with sincerity but excessive underplay of the main character does not create a lasting impression. His always lost-in-thoughts cop act fails to generate that mass hysteria associated with patriotic films.
Mrunal Thakur as a TV presenter wife of Sanjay Kumar is just run of the mill type who carries same expression throughout the film that of a troubled wife.
Rest of the ensemble cast adds to the film in a positive way.
Background score is impressive enough that helps in heightening the tension.
At two hours and thirty minutes, BATLA HOUSE seems like a never-ending telly episode. But keeping in mind this extended weekend, watching the film without much expectations may be order of the day 😊
