Bayaan at TIFF 2025: Huma Qureshi’s Detective Roohi Takes on Religious Exploitation — A Hard-Hitting Indian Thriller You Can’t Ignore

If you like crime dramas that feel real—and hit where it hurts—Bayaan is your film. Directed by Bikas Ranjan Mishra and led by a career-best Huma Qureshi as Detective Roohi Kartar, this Hindi police procedural is India’s sole selection in TIFF 2025’s Discovery section. Set in rural Rajasthan, Bayaan (meaning “testimony”) follows Roohi’s first big case: an anonymous letter accusing a revered cult leader of sexual abuse. What looks simple quickly turns into a maze of power, devotion, and silence.

Why this story matters (especially in India)

• It shows how faith mixed with power can protect predators.

• It captures the fear of speaking up, especially for women in small towns.

• It spotlights a woman cop fighting systems that want her to give up.

Huma Qureshi as Detective Roohi

Huma doesn’t shout her way through the role. She plays Roohi with quiet steel—a young officer who’s learning that truth needs courage, and courage has a cost. As threats rise and witnesses go silent (or worse), Roohi keeps pushing, even when it pits her against her own institution—and her own father.

The villain is a system, not just a man

The cult leader (a chilling turn by Chandrachur Singh) isn’t played like a cartoon villain. He’s calm, powerful, protected—and that’s scarier. Bayaan is about the ecosystem around him: the money, the blind devotion, the gatekeepers who stall justice.

Craft and mood

• Atmospheric visuals: Dusty lanes, dim rooms, and faces lit like confessions—cinematography that breathes tension.

• Editing with grip: Tight pacing but space to think.

• Music with restraint: A score that supports, never overwhelms.
  

Why TIFF Discovery selection is a big deal

Discovery is where several major filmmakers first broke out. For an Indian indie to land here signals international confidence in both the story and the craft—and opens doors for a wider festival run and theatrical release.

The big themes (told simply)

• Faith vs. Accountability: Respecting religion doesn’t mean ignoring crime.

• Patriarchy vs. Justice: Women speaking up often stand alone; the film refuses to look away.

• Institutional Complicity: When systems stall, heroes look like troublemakers.
  

Should you watch it?

Yes—especially if you:

• Want serious, socially aware cinema rooted in Indian realities.

• Are tired of noisy “cop films” and want authentic police work and moral complexity.

• Believe films should spark conversations about power and protection in our society.

Aapke Sawal, Hamare Jawab! (FAQs)

1) Bayaan kis ke baare mein hai? Kya yeh anti-religion film hai? Bayaan kisi dharm ke khilaaf nahi hai. Yeh un logon ke khilaaf hai jo dharm ka naam lekar shoshण karte hain. Film sach-chai, insaaf aur himmat par hai.

2) Kya yeh ek typical “masala cop” movie hai? Nahi. Yeh grounded police procedural hai—kam dhoom-dhadaka, zyada asli investigation, psychological tension aur system se takraav.

3) Huma Qureshi ki performance kaisi hai? Bahut controlled aur powerful. Roohi bahar se shaant par andar se aag hai—yahi balance role ko yaadgar banata hai.

4) Family ke saath dekh sakte hain? Film sensitive themes ko responsibly dikhati hai—koi gratuitous scenes nahi—par topic mature hai. Teens+ ke liye better.

5) Theatres ya OTT—kahan aayegi? TIFF ke baad film ka festival tour aur phir theatrical/OTT releases expected hain. Official handles par updates milte rahenge.