Following the unexpected success of Parmanu, as well as the action packed Satyamev Jayate, actor John Abraham is now up for another power packed performance with his upcoming movie Batla House, based on the controversial encounter that took place in Delhi in 2008, that had changed the political equations in India for once and for all.
Recently, John Abraham released the first look of his upcoming movie Batla House on his Twitter handle, and the three photos have aroused curiosity among the genuine movie buffs in the run up to the Independence Day 2019, when John’s movie will have another high profile clash with Ayan Mukherji’s superhero drama Brahmastra:
Every story has two points of view. One WRONG. The other RIGHT. But what if the lines are blurred? Very very blurred! @itsBhushanKumar @nikkhiladvani @TSeries @EmmayEntertain @johnabrahament @bakemycakefilms pic.twitter.com/IMbyQYC67C
— John Abraham (@TheJohnAbraham) September 21, 2018
Encounters: 70
Cases: 33
Convictions: 22
Gallantry Awards: 9
Accusations: 1“When everything you’ve achieved could be wiped out in that one moment.”
The story of India’s Most Decorated/Controversial Cop@itsBhushanKumar @nikkhiladvani @TSeries @EmmayEntertain @johnabrahament pic.twitter.com/krYFmqracU
— John Abraham (@TheJohnAbraham) September 21, 2018
“95 mins that took 8yrs to be resolved and changed his life forever.” The story of India’s most Decorated/Controversial Cop. #BatlaHouse@itsBhushanKumar @nikkhiladvani @writish @TSeries @EmmayEntertain @johnabrahament @bakemycakefilms @BatlaHouseFilm pic.twitter.com/RzsbCT5kcd
— John Abraham (@TheJohnAbraham) September 22, 2018
For those unaware, the Batla House encounter is actually about a police encounter that took place at L 18, Jamia Nagar in New Delhi on 19 September 2008. Following five serial blasts in New Delhi which had killed 30 innocent people and injured more than 100 others, a special cell of Delhi Police got a whiff of some of the conspirators hiding in the Batla House and closed in on them.
This lead to a murderous shootout, which killed the squad leader and a celebrated cop, Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma, apart from injuring constables Balwant Singh and Rajbir Singh as well. One of the key conspirators, Atif Ameen, was killed, while Mohammad Saif and Zeeshan were arrested. Ariz Khan and Mohammed Sajid escaped, with Sajid soon surfacing as an ISIS recruiter a few years later, while another conspirator, Shehzad Ahmed, was arrested later and convicted for the murder of Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma and sentenced to imprisonment for life in 2013.
However, despite the bravery shown by Delhi Police in nabbing the criminals, the encounter was marred in a political slugfest, with most of the secular parties denouncing it as fake. We’re no strangers to the tears the Congress high command wept for the slain terrorists. Though NHRC denied the encounter as fake, it took 4-7 years more for the sanctity of Delhi Police to be restored completely.
As such, it is heartening to learn that an actor like John Abraham has decided to relive those moments with his movie. Going by his demeanor in the first look, we are sure that John and his team is insistent on paying a fitting tribute to the cops involved in this encounter, who had to struggle to prove their innocence despite having saved the lives of millions by their daredevil acts at Batla House.
Bollywood is extremely notorious, when it comes to handling issues that are politically sensitive, and initially John was no exception. His first attempt at such a subject with Madras Café was a disaster in terms of execution. However, with Parmanu, based on the nuclear tests conducted at Pokhran in 1998, John has not only restored his image, but has also proved that he can handle such subjects with care.
Besides, John Abraham is also representing the maverick brigade of Bollywood, who not only acknowledge the expectations of the masses, but also give refreshing content time and again, for e.g. Manoj Bajpayee, Randeep Hooda, Kangana Ranaut etc. They’ve had enough of the elite Bollywood’s high handedness and the deep contempt for the nationalist sentiments the modern Indians are reverting back to, and want to cater the best to the masses in every possible way. As such, his attempt at Batla House Encounter should not only be applauded, but also promoted. May he give justice to the subject he has taken up.
