Dark and atmospheric, but its grip loosens before the story fully lands.
Verdict tier Mixed, lukewarm or divided, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.
Not streaming in India
Critic consensus
Critics received B.A. Pass with a moderately positive consensus, acknowledging it as a bold, dark departure from mainstream Bollywood fare. The film's taut, noir atmosphere and unflinching portrayal of seduction and moral decay in urban Delhi were most frequently singled out for praise, with several critics highlighting Ajay Bahl's atmospheric direction and the film's cinematic rendering of Delhi's underbelly. The most consistent criticism was that the narrative loses its grip at points, failing to sustain the depth of its source material — Mohan Sikka's short story — and leaving viewers with little emotional residue once the film concludes. A few critics also noted that its relentlessly bleak tone and graphic content demand a strong stomach, which may limit its broader appeal.
2 not-rated reviews aren't plotted
Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10
AI-generated summary of 17 critic reviews · may contain errors
Report inaccuracyFrom the papers
Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated
Top critic
Film review ·
In sum, here's a work which is permissive, graphic – even shocking (for the squeamish) - and rule-breaking. In fact, it recalls the manner is which B R Ishara had sniped away at hypocritical sexual mores back in the 1970s. This is adult cinema, neither cheap nor sniggering, but revelatory of reality behind closed doors. Try it.
Top critic
Film review ·
BA Pass combines the bone-dry quality of a chiselled short story and the stark directness of a minimalist tragedy to deliver a taut, gripping film about the hell that a big city can be behind the bright neon lights and the living room glass cabinets stacked with flashy dolls. Not to be missed.
Top critic
Film review ·
BA Pass, for the most part as taut as piano wire, feels like a chokehold. And that's a very good thing.
Top critic
Film review ·
'BA Pass' exposes a cold, dark, and bleak universe that is in equal measure grotesque and intriguing. Bahl creates the right mood, but doesn't leave you with much to think about when it's all over. Still I'm going with three out of five. Not perfect, but nicely done.
Top critic
Film review ·
B.A. Pass holds your interest as long as Bahl sticks to Sikka's darkly twisted story. But each time he diverges — including his choice of the film's cheesy name (Sikka's story is titled The Railway Aunty) — the narrative wobbles.
Top critic
Film review ·
Mohan Sikka's short story 'The Railway Aunty', on which the film is based, uses its atmosphere of defeat and rancidness much better. In the film, Bahl creates claustrophobia well, and then loses the story and the characters in it. We want to see underneath, and what we get, instead, is neon glaze.
Film review ·
B.A. PASS may appear to be a simple graduation story, but it teaches us that life on the streets requires a different level of skill set. Graduation among the sharks of the world is a daily process, not a five-year-plan! If you are looking for brutally honest cinema, then B.A. PASS is for you.
Film review ·
It would be erroneous to treat this film as only a serious noire effort. It is that,yes. But it's also a film that makes an impact in unexpectedly blithe ways, creeping up into our conscience when we least expect an intrusion and lodging itself cosily in a corner.
Film review ·
It's not quite popcorn & cola stuff but if you are forever hungering for cinema of a different taste, check this one out.
Film review ·
On the whole, B.A. PASS is a stark and brutal saga of seduction and betrayal that explores the darkest recesses of the human conscious and morality. Though gripping, you need a strong stomach to absorb this gritty and thought-provoking fare!
Film review ·
The film also stays away from being preachy, trying to give a message or play the holier than thou card. Instead it digs deep into the subject and fleshes out different emotions and facets of this lust story.
Film review ·
All in all, 'BA Pass' is a crisp attempt at doing something new.
Film review ·
BA Pass is dark, even for a noir. Scenes in the sunshine come as a relief from the murky depths of a landscape that's Mukesh's hell. There's almost no positivity in the film. Nothing to cling on to when you're done. This is a rare experience in a Hindi film.
Film review ·
This is a dark film. It is quite different from Bollywood romp and masti of half-demented heroes (Akshay Kumar, John Abraham) in Desi Boyz (2011) that delved on a similar theme.
Film review ·
If you want a change from the colourful canvas of Bollywood, and you like it dark, very dark - test this one out.
Film review ·
Ultimately though, it isn't the sex or the characters of B.A. Pass that are memorable. It's the electric beauty of director-cinematographer Ajay Bahl's Delhi and that luminous, topsy-turvy Paharganj made up of lurid lights, dreams and nightmares.
Film review ·
On the whole, B.A. Pass is an interesting film with a lot of sex scenes to satiate the voyeuristic hunger of the audience. It should do well but its depressing end will limit its business.
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