Babumoshai Bandookbaaz Movie Review

Release Date: August 25, 2017
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Shraddha Das, Jatin Goswami, Divya Dutta, Anil George
Director: Kushan Nandy
Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime
Duration: 2 hours 3 minutes      

You may have watched movies about underworld dons and known about their lives, but have you ever imagined how life would be for the foot soldiers, the so-called pawns of the system. If not, then Babumoshai Bandookbaaz may turn out to be an engaging experience for you with its various revelations. Very few movies have explored the lives of the foot soldiers of the system, and Babumoshai Bandookbaaz is one of them. Generally, people assume that people at the top in the hierarchy have complex lives, but Babumoshai Bandookbaaz clearly proves that life at the bottom of the food chain can have the same level of complexities and challenges. The pains and pleasures are there at all levels and one just has to look closely to identify and understand them.

Babumoshai Bandookbaaz is the story of a local contract killer Babu Bihari (Nawazuddin), who carries out his operations in Uttar Pradesh. Babu has a competitor Banke Bihari (Jatin), who aspires to be as successful as Babu. Both Babu and Banke get contracts to kill by the wealthy and powerful people in the system. The contract killers really enjoy their job and do not appear to suffer from any type of guilt or remorse. For Babu, the contract killings are like projects outsourced by the Yamraj (God of Death). He lives with this philosophy and does not care much about anything else. Babu also has a keen love interest in Phulwa (Bidita), with whom he shares an explosive chemistry. The movie takes a dramatic turn when Babu and Banke are given a contract to kill the same individuals. It forces them to fight each other in a game where only one will survive.

Babumoshai Bandookbaaz succeeds at capturing the raw flavors of the hinterland, where money and muscle power rule and life is as cheap as the cost of a bullet. The movie also exposes the corrupt system comprising wealthy businessmen, shady politicians and sleazy policemen. Nawazuddin Siddiqui has delivered yet another memorable performance, wherein he easily switches between a lover and a cold blooded killer. His self-deprecating comments are unique and worth savoring. Other actors have also delivered good performances.

Babumoshai Bandookbaaz will keep you engaged with its raw flavors and rustic locations. If you like to explore the road less travelled, this one’s for you.