OTT has already given us its fair share of women at the centre of crime procedurals. From Delhi Crime and Dahaad , to She and Aranyak, female protagonists have repeatedly found themselves chasing killers and navigating systems rarely as straightforward as they seem. Babita Singh Reporting enters the same crowded space. But when the template is this familiar, the question is whether there is anything new to investigate. Does Babita Singh Reporting bring a fresh perspective to the genre? Let’s find out.
The editing table could have done with a sharper pair of scissors, with at least 15 minutes trimmed. Because of the care with which it handles its characters, it is a conventional film in many ways, but one that remains engaging enough. Where Babita Singh Reporting gets it bang on is its casting. The ensemble is effective, with each actor bringing enough lived-in quality to their characters to keep the story engaging across its roughly two-and-a-half-hour runtime. Nimisha gives Baby a grounded quality that makes her easy to root for. She is neither presented as a supercop nor reduced to the usual cliches. The pacing is another plus. The film takes its time to establish Baby and her relationships. The investigation moves forward at a steady pace. More importantly, there is a degree of relatability woven into the proceedings. The film observes the small, casually cruel ways in which people around Baby comment on her appearance, particularly her weight. Where the film stumbles, however, is in its stretched runtime. It gradually begins to lose steam, with certain stretches feeling repetitive. Overall, Babita Singh reporting knows when to pause, and when not to underline an emotion. That restraint lends the investigation some tension, even when the plot itself feels familiar. The stretched runtime does little to help, but the performances and grounded treatment keep it from losing you completely.
