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Timeline

Badlapur (2015) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2015 · 134 mins · Hindi
Directed by
Sriram Raghavan
Starring
Vinay Pathak, Huma Qureshi, Radhika Apte, Kumud Mishra, Varun Dhawan, Zakir Hussain

Don’t miss the beginning. After his wife and son are killed, a young man finds out the man behind the murder and fights against him, along committing some big mistakes.

On this page (5)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (12)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Badlapur (2015)

Where can you watch Badlapur? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Google Play Movies and YouTube: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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12 events in order · contains spoilers

Badlapur Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Badlapur (2015) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Bank robbery in Pune and car theft

    Two friends, Liaq and Harman, pull off a bank robbery in Pune and steal a car owned by Misha and her son Robin. During the ensuing chase, Robin falls from the vehicle and Misha is shot. Harman escapes as planned, while Inspector Govind and his team arrest Liaq.

    Where
    Pune
  2. Arrest and imprisonment

    Liaq is arrested by Govind after the botched plan, and the police close in on the participants. Raghu attacks Liaq in prison, while a private detective informs Raghu about Liaq's girlfriend, Jhimli. Raghu begins to plot his revenge with this new information.

    Where
    Prison
  3. Raghu seeks information on Liaq's partner

    Raghu offers the insurance money he received after his son's death in exchange for the name of Liaq's partner. Jhimli refuses to cooperate, and Raghu's brutality escalates as he assaults her.

    Where
    City
  4. Liaq's conviction and Raghu withdraws

    Liaq is convicted for the robbery and sentenced to jail. Raghu withdraws from society, retreating from Pune as he plans his next moves in relative isolation.

    Where
    Pune
  5. Fifteen years later: illness and forgiveness

    Fifteen years pass and Liaq becomes terminally ill, wishing to spend his remaining time with his mother Zeenat. A social worker, Shobha, asks Raghu to forgive Liaq, but he declines, setting the stage for a fragile reconciliation later.

    When
    Fifteen years later
  6. Zeenat reveals Harman's partner to Raghu

    Zeenat approaches Raghu and reveals the name of Harman's partner, hoping it will aid Liaq's compassionate parole. Liaq is paroled but is followed by a plainclothes inspector tasked with tracing Harman.

  7. Raghu tracks Harman and meets Koko

    Raghu locates Harman and is invited to lunch by Harman's wife, Kanchan 'Koko' Khatri. Harman denies involvement in Misha and Robin's deaths, while Koko pleads for mercy.

    Where
    Harman's home
  8. Raghu coerces Koko into coercive deception

    Raghu pressures Koko to sleep with him to create an alibi, taking her to a bedroom where she is forced to strip and scream, making Harman believe they are having sex. The manipulation demonstrates Raghu's willingness to weaponize violence for revenge.

    Where
    Harman's home
  9. Koko and Harman are killed

    Liaq contacts Harman for his share of the money, prompting Raghu to murder Koko and Harman with a hammer. The brutal killings mark a decisive escalation in Raghu's pursuit of vengeance.

    Where
    Harman's home
  10. Raghu crafts an alibi with Shobha

    Raghu visits Shobha and pretends to be in love with her, creating a convincing alibi for himself. Liaq learns that Zeenat gave Harman's name to Raghu in exchange for his freedom, further complicating the web of loyalty and betrayal.

  11. Confrontation and the truth about the murders

    A fight erupts between Raghu and Liaq as the truth emerges. Liaq claims he killed Raghu's family out of panic, while arguing Raghu's murders were coldly planned. The struggle ends with Raghu gaining the upper hand.

    Where
    Prison
  12. Final farewell and Liaq's death

    Liaq goes to meet Jhimli one last time before his death, now the concubine of Patil the local businessman. Govind tries to blackmail Raghu with Liaq's money, but Liaq takes the blame for Raghu's crimes at the police station, granting Raghu a second chance. Seven months later, Liaq dies in jail as Jhimli drives away with Patil, leaving Raghu to confront the futility of revenge in the rain.

    When
    Seven months later
    Where
    Police Station

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:04

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Timeline questions answered

Badlapur Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Badlapur (2015): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why did Liaq kill Robin and Misha during the robbery?

Liaq did not intentionally kill Misha and Robin. During the high-speed chase after the bank robbery, Robin was pitched from the moving vehicle when Liaq was driving recklessly, and Misha was fatally shot in the chaos. Liaq's lawyer later clarifies that he killed Raghu's family in a panic during the botched robbery, not out of premeditated malice. This contrasts sharply with Raghu's later calculated murders of Harman and Koko.

Foreshadowing: The robbery was poorly planned from the start, with no backup plan for handling civilians in the stolen car.

  • liaq
  • misha
  • robin
  • death
  • bank robbery
  • murder
Q2

Why did Raghu assault Jhimli the sex worker?

After his wife and son were killed, Raghu hired a private detective to find Liaq's partner in the robbery. He tracked down Jhimli, Liaq's girlfriend, and offered her insurance money in exchange for naming Liaq's accomplice. When Jhimli refused to cooperate out of loyalty to Liaq, Raghu assaulted her in a fit of rage and grief, demonstrating how his quest for revenge had corrupted his moral compass.

Foreshadowing: Raghu's early attack on Liaq in prison showed his willingness to use violence rather than wait for justice.

  • raghu
  • jhimli
  • sex worker
  • assault
  • revenge
Q3

What happened to Harman and Koko in Badlapur?

Raghu tracked down Harman to his home and, after manipulating Koko into creating a false alibi by forcing her to pretend they had sex, Raghu murdered both Harman and Koko with a hammer. He then framing the scene to look like Harman killed Koko and then himself, though the police eventually discovered the truth through Liaq's confession.

Foreshadowing: Raghu's earlier coercive manipulation of Koko foreshadowed his willingness to use and destroy innocent people.

  • harman
  • koko
  • murder
  • hammer
  • killed
Q4

Why did Liaq take the blame for Raghu's crimes at the end?

Liaq chose to take responsibility for Raghu's murders of Harman and Koko at the police station because he wanted to give Raghu a second chance at life. Dying from cancer in jail, Liaq felt he had nothing to lose, while Raghu still had years ahead of him. This act was also Liaq's attempt at redemption, acknowledging that his own crime of passion had destroyed Raghu's family, while Raghu's subsequent murders were coldly calculated crimes that deserved punishment.

Foreshadowing: Throughout the film, Liaq shows guilt over the accidental deaths, while Raghu's revenge escalates beyond any reasonable proportion.

  • liaq
  • raghu
  • confession
  • take blame
  • redemption
  • police station
Q5

What was the deal between Zeenat and Raghu about Harman?

Liaq's mother Zeenat approached Raghu fifteen years after the robbery to reveal Harman's name as Liaq's partner, hoping this would help secure Liaq's compassionate parole since he was terminally ill with cancer. Zeenat made this deal believing it would reunite her son with his mother before he died. Raghu used this information to track down Harman, ultimately leading to the murders.

Foreshadowing: Zeenat's desperation to see her dying son again drove her to betray Liaq's trust by revealing Harman's identity.

  • zeenat
  • harman
  • liaq mother
  • parole
  • compassionate release
Q6

Why did Raghu force Koko to pretend to sleep with him?

Raghu coerced Koko into a bedroom where he forced her to strip and scream to create the impression that they were having sex. This was designed to give Raghu an alibi for the time of Harman and Koko's murder, making it appear he was with Koko when the killings occurred. The manipulative act demonstrated Raghu's willingness to psychologically abuse an innocent woman to serve his revenge plot.

Foreshadowing: Raghu's earlier weaponization of Shobha by claiming they had sex showed his pattern of using false sexual encounters as alibis.

  • koko
  • raghu
  • alibi
  • coerce
  • manipulation
Q7

How did Raghu plan his revenge over fifteen years?

After the initial tragedy, Raghu withdrew from society and spent fifteen years meticulously planning his revenge. He tracked down Liaq in prison, discovered his partner Harman through a private detective, and when Liaq was released on compassionate parole, Raghu used the information from Zeenat to locate Harman. His plan involved manipulation, psychological warfare, and ultimately cold-blooded murder, transforming him from a grieving widower into a calculated killer.

Foreshadowing: Raghu's early attack on Liaq in prison was just the beginning of his calculated revenge campaign.

  • raghu
  • revenge
  • 15 years
  • plan
  • harman
Q8

What turned Raghu into a cold-blooded killer?

Raghu's transformation was fueled by grief, rage, and the absence of justice. When Liaq received only a prison sentence instead of death, and when Jhimli refused to name Harman, Raghu's thirst for vengeance consumed him. Over fifteen years, his grief warped into a desire for proportional punishment, not just justice, but revenge. Liaq's final confrontation highlights this transformation: Liaq killed in panic, while Raghu murdered with cool, calculated detachment.

Foreshadowing: The film's opening establishes that Raghu attacked Liaq in prison within days of the tragedy, showing his grief quickly turned violent.

  • raghu
  • transformation
  • grief
  • revenge
  • murder
  • killer
Q9

What happened to Liaq at the end of Badlapur?

Liaq died from cancer in jail seven months after confessing to Raghu's crimes. Before his death, he visited Jhimli one last time, she had become the concubine of businessman Patil. Liaq's death marked the end of both his criminal life and his attempt at redemption by taking responsibility for Raghu's murders. He died alone in his cell, having achieved neither reunion with his mother nor true peace.

Foreshadowing: Liaq's terminal illness was established early in the 15-year time jump, making his death inevitable.

  • liaq
  • death
  • cancer
  • jail
  • jhimli
Q10

Why did Raghu refuse forgiveness from Shobha?

Social worker Shobha approached Raghu fifteen years after the tragedy, pleading for him to forgive Liaq so that the terminally ill convict could receive compassionate release. Raghu flatly refused, stating that forgiveness was impossible. His rejection was rooted in his belief that Liaq's crime, the murder of his wife and child, could never be atoned for through a simple prison sentence. This refusal set the stage for Raghu's descent into vigilantism and his own series of murders.

Foreshadowing: Raghu's immediate attack on Liaq in prison showed his inability to process grief through any means besides violence.

  • raghu
  • shobha
  • forgiveness
  • refuse
  • compassionate parole

Movie threads

More Movies Like Badlapur, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Badlapur tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Grim Revenge Thrillers with Moral Consequences like Badlapur

Stories where the pursuit of vengeance corrodes the soul of the avenger. If you were captivated by the heavy moral cost of revenge in Badlapur, this section features movies with a similar bleakness. Discover other crime and thriller stories where the quest for justice becomes an obsessive, soul-crushing journey, leaving characters to face the devastating aftermath of their actions.

  • vengeful
  • grim
  • morally ambiguous
  • tense
  • obsessive
  • bleak
  • Tone: dark, bleak, morally ambiguous
  • Pacing: steady, methodical
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically begin with a profound personal loss or injustice that propels the protagonist on a path of vengeance. The journey is methodical and dark, focusing less on action and more on the psychological descent into brutality. The central conflict is often internal, pitting the desire for justice against the protagonist's own humanity, culminating in an ending that questions whether the price of revenge was worth paying.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread are united by their dark tone, heavy emotional weight, and exploration of moral ambiguity. They share a steady, deliberate pacing that allows the audience to feel the protagonist's obsessive transformation and the grim, tense atmosphere that accompanies a life consumed by retaliation.

Movies about Moral Corruption and Trauma like Badlapur

Character-driven dramas charting a grim journey from trauma to darkness. For viewers who appreciated the deep character study of moral decay in Badlapur, this section highlights similar films. Find other intense dramas and thrillers that focus on a protagonist's grim descent into darkness, exploring themes of trauma, obsession, and the loss of innocence in a morally complex world.

  • morally ambiguous
  • somber
  • unsettling
  • tense
  • grim
  • obsessive
  • Tone: dark, somber, unsettling
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The pattern here is a character arc defined by downfall. An ordinary person, shattered by a catalyst event like loss or betrayal, embarks on a path that systematically dismantles their ethical boundaries. The plot is driven by their internal conflict and escalating actions, creating a palpable sense of tension and inevitability as they cross lines they never thought they would, leaving them isolated and haunted by their choices.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared focus on a dark character transformation, a heavy and emotionally draining tone, and a steady pacing that meticulously builds unease. They create a similarly unsettling atmosphere by forcing the audience to witness a sympathetic character's journey into moral ambiguity and corruption.

Every angle

Badlapur (2015) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Badlapur in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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