Badla

Badla is a 2019 Indian Hindi-language psychological thriller film directed by Sujoy Ghosh, based on the Spanish thriller "The Invisible Guest". The movie stars Amitabh Bachchan and Taapsee Pannu in the lead roles. The plot revolves around Amanda Abrahm, a self-made woman in her mid-twenties, who is arrested for the murder of her fiancé, Arjun, a successful businessman, in a luxury hotel room. The film begins with a flashback sequence, where we see Amanda and Arjun in a romantic relationship. They decide to get married and start building a life together. As their relationship progresses, Amanda becomes increasingly possessive and jealous of Arjun's female colleagues. Arjun, on the other hand, seems to be hiding something from Amanda, and their relationship becomes strained. On the night before Arjun's birthday, the two have a heated argument in the hotel room, which ultimately leads to their downfall. In a fit of rage, Amanda stabs Arjun multiple times with a pen, killing him. She then disposes of the body and makes it look like a robbery gone wrong. However, the police investigation reveals that there was no break-in, and the evidence points directly to Amanda as the prime suspect. As the police close in on Amanda, she hires the services of Nikhil Dasgupta, a respected senior lawyer, played by Amitabh Bachchan. Initially, Nikhil is hesitant to take on the case, as Amanda is the prime suspect, but he eventually agrees to help her out of professional curiosity. The investigation begins, and Nikhil and Amanda start digging into the events surrounding Arjun's murder. They question various hotel staff members and piece together the sequence of events. Amanda explains to Nikhil that Arjun had received a threatening call from someone, and they were on the verge of being attacked. However, as the investigation unfolds, the inconsistencies in Amanda's stories start to reveal her true intentions. Nikhil, a seasoned lawyer, notices the inconsistencies and starts to suspect that Amanda might be hiding something. He decides to confront her, and Amanda reveals that Arjun had been planning to call off their wedding. Amanda had discovered that Arjun was going to leave her for another woman, Shalini, a colleague of his. The revelation sets Nikhil on a mission to clear Amanda's name and uncover the truth behind Arjun's murder. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Amanda had her reasons for ending Arjun's life. She had invested her entire savings and built a life with Arjun, and his plans to leave her had left her shattered. Amanda's motives are driven by her love for Arjun and the fear of being dumped. Through a series of twists and turns, Amanda manipulates Nikhil into believing in her innocence and helping her frame Shalini for the crime. However, Nikhil's years of experience and sharp instincts prevent him from fully buying Amanda's story. He starts to suspect that she might be hiding more than just a few secrets. In a stunning revelation, Nikhil discovers that Amanda's real reason for framing Shalini was not out of love, but anger, jealousy, and a desire for revenge. Amanda had been planning this act for a long time, manipulating Arjun's death to frame Shalini, who she believed was her rival. Through a series of carefully crafted events, Amanda had planned to fake her innocence and clear Shalini of the crime. Nikhil's keen insight and sharp legal skills help him unravel Amanda's intricate scheme and ultimately expose her true intentions. The film concludes with Amanda's conviction for Arjun's murder. As she is led away by the police, Nikhil delivers a final verdict, calling Amanda's actions "badla", or payback, not for a crime she didn't commit, but for a love that was betrayed.