Babita Singh Reporting Review: Nimisha Sajayan Is the Heart of This Uneven Mystery

 

Image Source: Prime Video

Some films make you care about the mystery. Some make you care about the person trying to solve it. Babita Singh Reporting is definitely more of the latter.

The film introduces us to Babita “Baby” Singh, a police officer who seems to be constantly trying to keep everyone around her happy. At work, she is expected to follow orders and stay within her limits. At home, she is the wife who cooks, serves, and adjusts. So when she finally gets a chance to visit her in-laws in Rewa after two years of marriage, you can actually feel her excitement.

Before leaving, Babita takes the blame for a leak at work and accepts a short suspension so she can make the trip. She doesn't even tell her husband Sharad what has happened. In Rewa, she is reunited with her childhood friend Bansi, played by Barun Sobti. There is an immediate warmth and familiarity between them, and I liked that. But before Babita can properly catch up with him, Bansi is murdered.

And that's when the film takes an interesting turn.

The Murder Is Only Part of Babita's Story

Once Bansi dies, Babita's determination to find out what happened becomes the driving force of the story. But what surprised me was how much I started noticing everything else happening around her.

Her in-laws aren't portrayed as some exaggerated, horrible family. It's the little things that slowly get to Babita. What she cooks, what she brings, how she behaves, how available she is to everyone — there always seems to be another expectation waiting for her. Her sister-in-law Guddi's entitlement adds to that feeling, while her mother-in-law's constant demands gradually make Babita feel like the least important person in the house.

And then there is Sharad.

I liked that he isn't written as an obvious villain. It is his seemingly casual comments and attitudes that reveal more about him. Even the way he talks about marrying Babita despite their different castes comes with this sense of Look at what I did for you. It is such a small moment, but it tells you a lot about how he views their marriage.

The weight-related moment during the godh bharai (a traditional Indian baby shower that blesses an expectant mother and welcomes her unborn child) also stood out to me. The comment is made in front of others, and Babita finally pushes back instead of quietly taking it. I actually liked that moment because by then, we have seen her adjusting herself for everyone else, and seeing her finally react feels like a small but important shift.

Nimisha Sajayan Owns This Film

Nimisha Sajayan is easily the biggest reason to watch Babita Singh Reporting. She really carries this film.

What I loved about her performance is that Babita doesn't suddenly transform into a fearless, confident woman. It happens gradually. You see someone who is used to keeping quiet, adjusting, and putting other people's needs first slowly begin to realise that she can have a voice too.

She is investigating Bansi's death while also dealing with everything happening at home. The investigation gives her something to fight for, but it also becomes a catalyst for her to question the way she has been living.

And Nimisha makes that journey believable.

Barun Sobti has limited screen time as Bansi, but he makes an impression. There is a warmth to him that makes his presence matter, even though his role isn't a huge one. Priyanka Setia as Bansi's wife Rupa also becomes an important part of Babita's investigation, while Geetika Vidya Ohlyan is lovely as Karamjeet, the colleague who encourages Babita to stand up for herself.

But honestly, I kept coming back to Nimisha.

Where the Mystery Falls Short

This is where I have mixed feelings about the film.

The build-up to the mystery is actually quite good. Once Bansi's death happens, Babita's quest to find out who killed him takes the story in an edgy direction. There are enough questions and turns to keep you guessing, and I genuinely wanted to know what had happened.

I kept thinking there was more to uncover.

That is exactly why the eventual revelation didn't quite live up to the build-up for me. After being so invested in Babita's search and everything the film makes you wonder about, I expected the reveal to hit harder. Instead, it left me feeling that the journey towards the answer was more interesting than the answer itself.

But strangely, that doesn't completely take away from the film.

Because somewhere along the way, the murder investigation starts feeling like a part of Babita's much bigger journey. The more she searches for answers about Bansi, the more she seems to be discovering herself. What begins as a quest to understand someone else's death slowly becomes a journey towards finding her own voice, confidence, and place.

And I think that is where the film really finds its heart.

A Film That Is More About Babita Than the Mystery

By the end, what stayed with me wasn't just the question of Bansi's death. It was Babita.

She is a woman who has spent a long time adjusting herself around everyone else — at work, at home, and in her marriage. The investigation gives her something to fight for, but it also gives her the courage to start questioning the life she has been quietly accepting.

That is what I liked about Babita Singh Reporting. It doesn't make Babita's story only about solving a murder. A much more personal transformation is happening underneath it.

The mystery could have had a more satisfying payoff, especially considering how well the film builds towards the revelation. But the character-driven parts worked for me much more. I was genuinely invested in seeing Babita find her voice, largely because Nimisha Sajayan makes you care about her.

Babita Singh Reporting may not completely deliver the mystery payoff I was hoping for, but it gives us a Babita worth rooting for.

And sometimes, that ends up being the more interesting story.

My Verdict: 3.5/5

If this one felt a little too heavy, head over to my review of Bethlehem Kudumba Unit — a fun-filled Malayalam romantic family comedy-drama that’s all about good vibes! ❤️

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