BADLA

India, 2018, 118 minutes, Colour.

Amitabh Nachran, Taapsee Pannu, Amnita Singh, Antonio, Aakeel, Tony Luke, Tanveer Ghani,

Directed by Sujoy Ghosh.

This film is a detailed remake of the Spanish film of 2016, The Invisible Guest, written and directed by Oriel Paulo. Those who have not seen the original film will be intrigued by this screenplay, the many twists and turns, revelations character, or turn at possibilities for the committing of a crime. However, those who have seen the original, complain that it is too direct a remake even if there are some gender reversals in the roles.

While this is an Indian film with Indian stars, it takes place in London and in the British countryside at a luxury hotel during winter, as well is in the forests.

However, the main part of the film is a lawyer arriving to interrogate the woman who has been accused of the murder, the corporate businesswoman who has been having an affair. There are flashbacks to the affair, time at the hotel, the return to London from the hotel and the lies, an accident, the death, not calling the police, a cover-up which leads to all kinds of complications. There is also a flashback to the situation at the hotel with the couple returning, an attempt at blackmail.

The lawyer, played by Indians veteran actor, Amitabh Nachran, as dignity, integrity, the skill in interrogation, proposing alternatives, demanding details of the truth, putting pressure on the client.

It is intriguing during the interrogation as various theories are proposed about the crime itself and the consequences, suggesting each of the participant taking a dominant role or a submissive role.

The story is also complicated by the death of a young man in the accident, the disposal of his car and body in the Lake, the intervention of his parents helping – and the revelation of who they are, their careers as actors, the wife becoming a relentless searcher of the truth, confronting the participants.

In fact, one of the main thrusts of the plot is very similar to that of Agatha Christie’s Towards Zero, the framing of the central character who is then seen as a victim – and then revealed as mastermind.

1. Remake of the Spanish film? Direct? Reversal of gender for characters?
2. Indian film, Indian stars? London and British locations? The city, the streets, apartments and offices, the business awards? The contrast with the hotel, the snow, the train, the railway station? The woods, the car crash, submerging the car? The friendly couple, their home? Atmosphere? Musical score?
3. The film as a murder mystery? The investigation, truth and lies? The elaboration of different scenarios? The continued twists? Different behaviours for each of the characters? The final Revelation, the actor impersonating the lawyer? Naina’s plan, her vengeance, defeat?
4. The basic situation, Naina and Arjun, marriages, children, the liaison, the rendezvous, the lies about Paris, phone calls reassuring spouses? The delay, the shortcut, the argument, the deer, the crash, the young man, dead, on the phone, the decision about the boot of the car, disposal of the car? Each re-enactment with Arjun and Naina reversing roles?
5. The plan, the meeting, the blackmail, the hotel, locked doors, no escape by window, Arjun and Naina meeting, his death, her being wounded by the mirror? The police, arrest, interrogation, bail? Her contact with Jimmy, the lawyer? His recommending Mr Gupta?
6. His early arrival, appearance, dignity, competence, briefcase, notes? The interaction with Naina? His insistence, perseverance? Turning the tables, eliciting more and more truth, attention to details? The phone calls to and from Jimmy? His proposing various hypotheses, the involvement of Rani and her husband, the reversal of roles between Naina and Arjun? His final persuasiveness, asking the truth, Naina’s admission? Getting her to look out the window at Rani?
7. The revelation of who he was, taking the confession, going to Rani, the removal of the make up, the couple staring at Naina?
8. The identification of the dead man, his parents, their search? The encounter with Arjun, his spinning them lies, and answer for every situation, going to the house, the car being fixed, Rani and her hospitality, their story, their son, the phone calls? The mobile phone and Arjun’s excuse? Rani, searching for him, bookseller in Notting Hill and his lie? Tracking him down, following him, the setup? The husband working at the hotel, the possibility for Rani to get in, to kill Arjun, ticket out the window? The photo with the husband when Naina was arrested? The later illustrating that it was a fake?
9. Naina, the meetings with Arjun, the two possibilities for her to arrange it, him to arrange it, each dominating the other?
10. The award, Naina and keeping her name out of police records, the deal, the Japanese?
11. The confrontation between Naina and Rani? Rani condemning her for her love of power?
12. The finale, that Naina had arranged everything? And the killing of Arjun?