Logout Review: Babil's acting uplifts this cyber thriller that scares, warns you about the effects of digital fame

Babil-starrer Logout, streaming on Zee5, explores the darker side of digital fame, and is a satarical commentary on our helpless dependence on smartphones.

Imagine you are an influencer and your survival depends on your smartphone for creating content. Now just think what if you lost your phone one day, with all the data -- contacts, bank details, photos, videos, your account passwords etc. Think worse! What if it gets stolen, and someone else gets hold of it? Now they start controlling not only your phone, but also you! Babil-starrer Logout, now streaming on Zee5, just serves you the nightmare you never want to see yourself in. If you are also among those who are addicted to consuming content on social media, and in turn allow your smartphones to consume you, then this cyber thriller is just the right watch for you. It educates, scares, warns and leaves you with a pertinent message. Somewhere, I felt Logout is trying to save us from the misery of being a slave to our smartphones by highlighting the ramifications if we land in a situation like its lead protagonist, content creator Pratyush Dua aka Pratman (Babil).

The film starts with a mysterious murder where a delivery boy falls off the terrace of a 13th floor building. Switch to Pratyush, desperate to see his follower count hitting the 10 million mark. Competing with a female contemporary, he is contantly tracking her and his own followers, but is treading cautiously towards his goal. One night, in a drunken state, he makes a video for his fans pleading them to follow him and help him reach 10 million, and next morning, he realises his phone has been stolen, and an obsessive fan has hijacked his identity. Anything I say after this might be a spoiler, so let's refrain.

I have to give it to director Amit Golani for picking on relevant subject, and not just getting drowned in the sea of remakes and sequels. This day and age of smartphones and social media not only calls for a film like Logout, but also, the caution with which the makers have tried to cleverly weave a message into the narrative deserves applause. Writer Biswapati Sarkar might not have written the pitch-perfect script for Logout because it gets repetitive in some places, but he has penned some portions that are nail-biting, and keep you on the edge.

For most of the runtime, Logout is shot inside one flat, or one room precisely where Pratyush has his gadgets in place. During the course when he's trying to get his phone back and for the endless calls he makes, we see him relive the highs and lows he has had in his family, love life, with fans and, most importantly, with himself. There are moments of regret, seeking forgiveness, happiness, excitement and so much more, and Babil emotes them each with conviction. The acting prowess this boy showed in Logout had me blown away. No kidding. After Railway Men, I had high hopes, and with Logout, he has proven that he has got that spunk and charm to carry a film on his able shoulders. And let's please not burden him with expectations of matching or carrying forward his late father, Irrfan's legacy. Babil has his own style and a flair which he brings on screen, and as Pratyush, I felt he did a damn good job.

What I really liked about Logout is the fact that even when digital influencers are in a rat race to gain followers, and they blindly follow trends to achieve their goals, there's some conscience that still exists. For instance, Pratman might want to outdo his competitors, but isn't convinced by the idea of making a reel in boxers just for the sake of it. Logout explores the dark side of digital fame, and at the same time, emphasizes the toll it takes on one's mental health, making them helplessly dependent on their smartphones. We had Ananya Panday-starrer CTRL a while ago that also somewhat dealt with the repercussions of blurring lines between real life and the virtual world. And now, Babil takes the subject a notch higher with Logout that is gripping, and captivates you till the end.

P.S. This is my first film review on this platform. I have been reviewing Hindi-language films for over 6 years now for a leading print publication, and now will publish my content here for you guys to read. Do give your feedback, and share with others.