Babita Singh Reporting movie review: Nimisha Sajayan shines in a slow-burning murder mystery

Babita Singh Reporting movie review: Babita Singh Reporting is not the usual police drama that introduces a female cop with a slow-motion entry, sunglasses and a larger-than-life personality. Its "hero," Assistant Sub-Inspector Babita Singh, is the opposite of a fearless officer. At a police station in Bhopal, she spends more time pleasing her seniors instead of doing the kind of fieldwork she actually wants to do. At home, things are no better. Her family members have mastered the art of taking her for granted, and Babita, a.k.a Baby, rarely knows how to push back.

Directed by Ambiecka Pandit and written by Amita Vyas, Babita Singh Reporting uses a murder investigation as the backdrop for a much more personal story.

Plot of Babita Singh Reporting

The 2-hour-11-minute film follows Babita Singh, played by Nimisha Sajayan, who works as an ASI in Bhopal. But the field job she has been waiting for remains out of reach. She joined the police force on compassionate grounds and wants to prove herself as a capable officer.

Babita Singh Reporting Photograph: (X)

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Instead, she is stuck at a desk, running errands for seniors. Her habit of agreeing to almost anything people ask of her soon creates problems of its own.

The punishment that follows gives Babita a two-week break from work, which she uses to travel to her in-laws' home in Rewa with her husband Sharad (Anshumaan Pushkar).

After reaching the city, she unexpectedly meets her childhood friend Bansi (Barun Sobti), who now makes Ravana effigies for Dussehra. Bansi wants to speak to her about something important, but Babita soon gets busy with family duties. Her sister-in-law's baby shower becomes her new responsibility, and as usual, Baby puts everyone else's needs before her own.

Before she gets the chance to meet Bansi again, tragedy strikes. When Babita begins to question the circumstances surrounding his death, she finds little help from the people around her. The doubts, however, refuse to leave her, and she gradually begins looking into the matter herself.

As Babita's unofficial investigation takes her deeper into Bansi's life, the mystery becomes something more than uncomfortable truths and unexpected connections. At the same time, her personal life becomes increasingly difficult to manage. Between her demanding in-laws and a complicated marriage, Babita finds it harder to separate her role as a police officer from her role as the "ideal" daughter-in-law.

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The rest of Babita Singh Reporting follows her attempt to uncover what really happened to Bansi while also dealing with her family demands. The deeper she goes, the more complicated both the case and her own life become.

What works

The best part about Babita Singh Reporting is, of course, Nimisha Sajayan. She plays the lead character as a truly ordinary woman who is constantly underestimated but is not without strength. Babita is overweight, insecure and accustomed to being the target of indirect remarks about her body. Yet she skillfully hides how much those comments hurt. The character makes mistakes, hesitates, and doubts herself, but her growth as an investigator and as a person happens gradually.

The film has done a good job of showcasing that women are not always treated badly through dramatic acts alone. Sometimes the control is hidden inside jokes, taunts, financial expectations and the assumption that a woman will always adjust.

The cast is strong, even though several actors do not get as much material as they deserve.

Anshumaan Pushkar plays Sharad with an ambiguity that works well for the character. His behaviour gradually reveals how easily a supposedly supportive husband can become manipulative.

Barun Sobti has limited screen time, but Bansi's importance to the story remains significant.

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Babita Singh Reporting Photograph: (X)

Rajesh Kumar is effective as Babita's opportunistic senior, but the film could have explored his character further.

Sunita Rajwar is also good as Babita's difficult mother-in-law. She makes the character frustrating without looking artificial.

The remaining actors have also delivered solid performances. The problem in the film is not the acting; it is that several characters who initially seem important are given too little to do as the film moves forward.

The murder investigation takes a while to develop, but once Babita begins uncovering connections, the narrative starts gaining momentum. The mystery also works because Babita is personally connected to the victim. And the final revelation does not go exactly where one may expect it to.

What doesn't work

The film's biggest problem is its pacing. While one will not be bored, the first half often makes you feel that the story is taking too long to get to the point.

Babita keeps moving from one clue to another, but for a while, very little comes out of her efforts. The feeling becomes: yes, we understand she is investigating; now tell us where the investigation is actually going?

The second half works better because the mystery starts taking shape.

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One of the first things that stands out is the number of characters introduced early in the story. The film makes it seem as if many of them will eventually receive detailed subplots. That does not really happen, and the focus ultimately remains on Babita. This works for the protagonist, but it leaves several supporting characters feeling underdeveloped.

The film repeatedly delays progress in the investigation, and some of these stretches feel repetitive.

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To sum it up, the film sometimes feels like it is juggling too many stories at once, but not every one of them is explored with the depth it deserves.

Verdict

Yes, the film is engaging, but it remains an uneven mystery. It is not a fast-paced crime thriller, and viewers expecting a sharp, constant twist may find the first half a little slow.

But it has something more interesting to say about its protagonist. Babita's biggest case is not just Bansi's murder; it is her own journey from being a woman who exists to keep everyone else happy to someone who begins believing in her own instincts.

However, slow pacing and underused characters prevent the film from becoming a fully gripping thriller.

Still, Babita Singh Reporting is worth watching for Nimisha Sajayan's performance and its attempt to tell a crime story through the life of a woman who has spent far too long being told to stay in her place.