Baida is a 2025 Indian Hindi-language sci-fi supernatural thriller directed by Puneet Sharma and written by Sudhanshu Rai. The film stars Sudhanshu Rai in the lead role and features an ensemble cast including Manisha Rai, Shobhit Sujay, Sourabh Raaj Jain, Hiten Tejwani, and Tarun Khanna in important roles. The movie was released in theatres on 21 March 2025.
Cast and Crew
- Director: Puneet Sharma
- Writer: Sudhanshu Rai
- Producer: Puneet Sharma, Sudhanshu Rai
- Star Cast: Sudhanshu Rai, Manisha Rai, Shobhit Sujay, Sourabh Raaj Jain, Hiten Tejwani
- Cinematography: Abhishek Modak
- Editor: Pratheek Shetty
- Genres: Adventure, Thriller
- Release date: 21 March 2025
- Country: India
- Language: Hindi
Baida movie 2025 Trailer
Star Cast
- Sudhanshu Rai
- Manisha Rai
- Shobhit Sujay
- Sourabh Raaj Jain
- Hiten Tejwani
- Tarun Khanna
- Siddharth Banerjee
- Deepak Wadhwa
- Akhlaq Ahmad Azad
- Pradeep Kabra
- Sahil Patel
- Manisha Sharma
- Ramdev Mishra
Story of the film
On a sales trip to a rural part of Uttar Pradesh, a former spy turned salesman becomes caught in a multi-layered conspiracy when he decides to stay at the cottage of an enigmatic man. When he is taken to British India and sentenced to hang, his death race officially begins. His environment altered in a matter of seconds, making reality appear far away. Now, he must use his espionage instincts to save himself and return to the world he belongs in.
Ram Babu, a former investigator who is now a salesman in rural Uttar Pradesh, seeks refuge in an enigmatic man’s hut before being mysteriously brought to British India and given the death penalty. He must rely on his detective skills to break free from the noose and return to his world as time unravels and reality bends. Will he be successful before the end of time, though?
A terrifying pre-independence execution scene opens the 109-minute movie, laying the groundwork for a spooky, surreal drama. Next, we meet Ram Babu (Sudhanshu Rai), a former intelligence officer who chose a calm life as a salesman in a far-off village over a high-stakes career. But his quest for tranquility is cut short when he meets the mysterious Pishaach (Saurabh Raaj Jain), who ensnares him in a web of paranormal horrors.
The audience is kept interested but yearns for greater impetus as the first half moves slowly. The plot takes a darker, more exciting turn with Pishaach’s arrival. The movie adopts more complex science fiction and fantasy themes as Ram is abruptly transferred to British India and faces impending execution. Time and space are blurred as Ram is thrown back into the present just as the viewer is starting to make connections.
Film Shooting
The movie, which is a sci-fi thriller set in the Hindi heartland of India, was mostly shot in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, and incorporates aspects of the regional Bhojpuri dialect and culture. To maintain cultural authenticity, the art department employed local sculptors and craftspeople. In Delhi, further scenes were filmed. The narrative centers on an assassin and his encounters with different people and circumstances.
Review
The Times’ Tanmayi Savadi now rated the movie three stars out of five and stated that Baida has every component needed to create an engaging supernatural thriller. The length is advantageous. But to fully realize its potential, the surface sheen is never removed.
India’s Vineeta Kumar Today rated it two and a half out of five stars, stating that despite its potential, it falls short of being a full-fledged entertainment package, despite an attempt to incorporate action, comedy, and fascinating elements from the spooky genre.
The Times of India’s Archika Khurana gave the movie a two-and-a-half-star rating, noting that although Baida has an intriguing idea, it is poorly executed in a number of ways. The film’s poor editing and excessive use of saturated lighting, where red and green tones that are meant to heighten the spooky mood instead come off as distracting, are clear signs of its low budget.
Sudhanshu Rai’s vanity projects are neither frightening nor innovative, and their inefficiency irritates the audience, according to Rishabh Suri of the Hindustan Times, who rated it one out of five.
References
- Wikipedia contributors. (2025, December 29). Baida (film). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baida_(film)
- Baida (2025) ⭐ 4.7 | Adventure, Sci-Fi, thriller. (2025, March 21). IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt35217961/
- Khurana, A. (2025, March 21). Baida Movie Review: A supernatural thriller that blurs the lines of time and reality. The Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/baida/movie-review/119318211.cms
