{{Short description|2010 film by Parmeet Sethi}} {{AI-generated|date=September 2025}} {{Use British English|date=January 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}} {{Infobox film | name = Badmaash Company | image = Badmash-Companywall.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = [[Parmeet Sethi]] | producer = [[Aditya Chopra]] | writer = Parmeet Sethi | starring = {{Plainlist| *[[Shahid Kapoor]] *[[Anushka Sharma]] *[[Vir Das]] *[[Meiyang Chang]] *[[Anupam Kher]] }} | music = '''Songs:'''<br />[[Pritam]]<br />'''Score:'''<br />[[Julius Packiam]] | cinematography = Sanjay Kapoor | editing = Ritesh Soni | studio = [[Yash Raj Films]] | distributor = Yash Raj Films | released = {{Film date|df=yes|2010|05|07}} | runtime = 130 minutes | country = India | language = Hindi | budget = {{INR|210|link=yes}} million<ref name="budget">{{cite web |title=How Badmaash Company Seamlessly Intertwines Comedy and Serious Drama |url=https://www.airtel.in/blog/entertainment/how-badmaash-company-seamlessly-intertwines-comedy-and-serious-drama/ |website=Airtel |date=2 Dec 2024 |access-date=22 April 2025 |language=en}}</ref> | gross = {{INR|530|link=yes}} million<ref name="boxoffice">{{cite web |title=Badmaash Company Box Office Collection |url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/badmaash-company/box-office/ |website=Bollywood Hungama |date=7 May 2010 |access-date=1 March 2022 |language=en}}</ref> }}
'''''Badmaash Company''''' ({{Translation|Illicit Company}}) is a 2010 Indian [[Hindi]]-language [[Crime film|crime]] [[comedy drama]] film written and directed by [[Parmeet Sethi]] in his directorial debut, and produced by [[Aditya Chopra]] under the [[Yash Raj Films]] banner. The film stars [[Shahid Kapoor]], [[Anushka Sharma]], [[Meiyang Chang]], and [[Vir Das]], and follows four young friends from middle-class backgrounds in [[Mumbai]] who form an illicit business venture that quickly escalates into a high-stakes international con operation.
[[Principal photography]] took place in locations across India, [[Thailand]], and the United States.
''Badmaash Company'' was released on 7 May 2010 and received mixed reviews from critics who praised the cast performances—particularly Kapoor's—and the film's youthful tone, but criticised the screenplay and pacing. Despite this, the film proved to be a commercial success, grossing ₹530 million (US$11.8 million) worldwide.
==Plot== 1994 [[Mumbai|Bombay]], Karan Kapoor, a [[Middle class|middle-class]] college graduate, dreams of starting his own business, much to the disapproval of his father, Sajjan Kapoor, who insists he pursue an [[Master of Business Administration|MBA]]. While on a trip to [[Bangkok]] with his friends Zing and Chandu, Karan meets Bulbul Singh, an aspiring model. Encouraged by her belief in big ideas over big money, Karan returns to India with a renewed drive to succeed.
When Sajjan suffers a [[Myocardial infarction|heart attack]] and the family struggles with medical expenses, Karan is motivated to change his fortunes. He devises a [[smuggling]] operation for imported goods that avoids customs duties by exploiting loopholes. Along with Zing, Chandu, and Bulbul, he establishes a venture called "Friends and Company." The group becomes wealthy by repeating similar schemes.
After a confrontation with his father over the illegal nature of his work, Karan moves in with Bulbul and expands their operations to the [[United States]], aided by his uncle Jazz. There, the group continues their exploits through real estate scams and high-end goods [[arbitrage]]. However, their success breeds excess. Zing's drinking leads to domestic violence on his girlfriend Linda and fight with Chandu. Karan, meanwhile, enters a fraudulent marriage for a [[green card]], leading Bulbul to leave him. The group disbands amid personal rifts.
Isolated and consumed by guilt, Karan returns to India and witnesses his father being honored for his integrity. This inspires him to abandon his unethical ways. He returns to America, serves a [[Sentence (law)|jail sentence]], and is bailed out by his former friends, who also forfeit their shares in the company. 6 months later, Karan is released from jail and begins anew by working at his uncle's firm.
When a failed shirt consignment threatens Jazz's company, Karan reunites with Bulbul, who is now pregnant with his child, along with Zing and Chandu to spin the defect as an innovative “color-changing” feature, reigniting consumer interest. It is also shown that Linda eventually married Chandu. The gimmick is further popularized during a [[Michael Jackson]] concert, where Linda, now a [[backup dancer]], helps market the shirt. The company's fortunes reverse, and the original team reunites to launch a legitimate business.
The film ends with "Friends and Company" flourishing as a [[State-owned enterprise|public enterprise]] and Karan finding personal and professional fulfillment, having reconciled with his father and built a life grounded in integrity.
== Cast == *[[Shahid Kapoor]] as Karan Kapoor *[[Anushka Sharma]] as Bulbul Singh *[[Vir Das]] as Chandu *[[Meiyang Chang]] as Zing *[[Anupam Kher]] as Sajjan Kapoor, Karan father *[[Kiran Juneja]] as Maya Kapoor: Karan's mother *[[Shalini Chandran]] as Anu Kapoor: Karan's sister *[[Pavan Malhotra]] as Jazz: Karan's maternal uncle *[[Jameel Khan]] as Archie Bhai *Alexandra Vino as Linda *John Marenjo as Charlie *Obaid Kadwani as the Lawyer
==Production== ''Badmaash Company'' marked the directorial debut of [[Parmeet Sethi]], who also wrote the screenplay. Sethi reportedly completed the script in just six days, drawing inspiration from real-life individuals for the film's four main characters.<ref>{{cite web |date=20 April 2010 |title=The four characters of 'Badmaash Company' picked from real life |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-four-characters-of-badmaash-company-picked-from-real-life/608785/ |access-date=20 April 2010 |work=The Indian Express}}</ref> He later stated that he was disillusioned with television and eager to transition into filmmaking.
[[Principal photography]] took place across various international and domestic locations, including [[New York City]], [[Atlantic City, New Jersey|Atlantic City]], [[Philadelphia]], [[Bangkok]], [[Mumbai]], and [[Hyderabad]].
== Reception ==
=== Box office === ''Badmaash Company'' opened to decent collections despite facing stiff competition from the multi-starrer ''[[Housefull (2010 film)|Housefull]]''. It earned approximately ₹208.4 million by the end of its first week. The film continued to perform steadily in domestic markets and ultimately grossed ₹529.8 million at the end of its theatrical run, emerging as a commercial success.<ref name="boxoffice" /><ref>{{cite web |title=The Domestic Box Office Winners 2010 |url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/boxnewsdetail.php?page=shownews&articleid=2408&nCat=box_office_news |access-date=5 January 2011 |publisher=Boxofficeindia.com}}</ref>
=== Critical response === ''Badmaash Company'' received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, with praise for its entertainment value and performances but criticism directed at its predictability and narrative.
[[Taran Adarsh]] of ''[[Bollywood Hungama]]'' rated the film 3 out of 5, calling it "a watchable experience" that "offers solid entertainment but doesn't insult your intelligence."<ref>{{cite web |last=Adarsh |first=Taran |title=Badmaash Company: Movie Reviews |url=http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/review/14138/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100311034320/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/review/14138/index.html |archive-date=11 March 2010 |website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]}}</ref> Gaurav Malani of ''[[Times Internet|Indiatimes]]'' gave it 3.5 out of 5, praising [[Shahid Kapoor]] and calling the film “a good entertainer. Worth a watch!”<ref>{{cite news |title=Badmaash Company: Movie Review |url=http://movies.indiatimes.com/Badmaash-Company-Movie-Review/moviereview/5902575.cms |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100510022049/http://movies.indiatimes.com/Badmaash-Company-Movie-Review/moviereview/5902575.cms |archive-date=10 May 2010 |access-date=7 May 2010 |publisher=Indiatimes}}</ref> [[Nikhat Kazmi]] of ''[[The Times of India]]'' rated it 3 out of 5, noting that while it had "riveting scenes," the plot followed a predictable arc of crime and redemption.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kazmi |first=Nikhat |date=7 May 2010 |title=Badmaash Company: Review |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/hindi/Badmaash-Company/movie-review/5902462.cms |access-date=7 May 2010 |work=Times of India}}</ref>
On the other hand, some critics were more reserved. [[Komal Nahta]] gave it 2.5 out of 5, appreciating Kapoor's performance but calling the film uneven.<ref>{{cite web |date=8 May 2010 |title=Review: This company is worth keeping |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/review_review-this-company-is-worth-keeping_1380402 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100510002504/http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/review_review-this-company-is-worth-keeping_1380402 |archive-date=10 May 2010 |access-date=8 May 2010 |publisher=DNA}}</ref> [[Sukanya Verma]] of ''[[Rediff.com]]'' rated it 2 out of 5, writing that the film started off with promise but got bogged down in clichés.<ref>{{cite web |title=Is Badmaash Company really THAT bad? |url=http://movies.rediff.com/report/2010/may/10/is-badmaash-company-really-that-bad.htm |access-date=16 January 2011 |publisher=Rediff}}</ref> [[Rajeev Masand]] of ''[[CNN-News18|CNN-IBN]]'' was particularly critical, giving it 1.5 out of 5 and calling it “outrageously silly.”<ref>{{cite web |title=Masand: 'Badmaash Company', outrageously silly |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/masand-badmaash-company-outrageously-silly/114820-8-84.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100510055846/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/masand-badmaash-company-outrageously-silly/114820-8-84.html |archive-date=10 May 2010 |access-date=7 May 2010 |publisher=Ibnlive.in}}</ref>
Additional reviews ranged from mixed-to-negative. [[Anupama Chopra]] of ''[[NDTV]]'' labeled it “staggeringly tedious,” while [[Raja Sen]] of ''[[Rediff.com]]'' remarked that “there's not a single scene in the film that actually works.” [[Mayank Shekhar]] of ''[[Hindustan Times]]'' noted the film's decline after the interval, calling it “half-written,” and gave it 2 out of 5.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mayank Shekhar's Review: Badmaash Company |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/Mayank-Shekhar-s-Review-Badmaash-Company/Article1-540670.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100510002142/http://www.hindustantimes.com/Mayank-Shekhar-s-Review-Badmaash-Company/Article1-540670.aspx |archive-date=10 May 2010 |access-date=7 May 2010 |work=Hindustan Times}}</ref> The review aggregator ''ReviewGang'' gave it an average score of 4/10, reflecting the divided critical opinion.<ref>{{cite web |title=Badmaash Company Reviews |url=http://www.reviewgang.com/movies/58-Badmaash-Company-Reviews |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100510080811/http://www.reviewgang.com/movies/58-Badmaash-Company-Reviews |archive-date=10 May 2010 |access-date=8 May 2010 |publisher=Reviewgang.com}}</ref>
==Accolades== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" ! scope="col" |Award ! scope="col" |Date of the ceremony ! scope="col" |Category ! scope="col" |Recipients ! scope="col" |Result ! class="unsortable" scope="col" |{{Refh}} |- | rowspan="3" scope="row" |[[Zee Cine Awards]] | rowspan="3" |14 January 2011 |[[Zee Cine Award for Most Promising Director|Most Promising Director]] |[[Parmeet Sethi]] | {{nom}} | rowspan="3" |<ref>{{cite web |title=Nominations for Zee Cine Awards 2011 |url=http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/features/2011/01/01/6977/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110105041016/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/features/2011/01/01/6977/index.html |archive-date=5 January 2011 |access-date=7 January 2011 |website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]}}</ref> |- | rowspan="2" |[[Zee Cine Award for Best Male Debut|Best Male Debut]] |[[Meiyang Chang]] | {{nom}} |- |[[Vir Das]] | {{nom}} |- |[[Stardust Awards]] |6 February 2011 |[[Stardust Award for Breakthrough Performance – Male|Breakthrough Performance – Male]] |Meiyang Chang | {{nom}} |<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hungama |first=Bollywood |date=2011-01-22 |title=Nominations of Stardust Awards 2011 2011 : Bollywood News - Bollywood Hungama |website=[[Bollywood Hungama]] |url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/nominations-of-stardust-awards-2011/ |access-date=2025-05-29 |language=en}}</ref> |}
==Soundtrack== {{Infobox album | name = Badmaash Company | type = soundtrack | artist = [[Pritam Chakraborty]] | cover = | alt = | released = {{Start date|df=y|2010|05|07}} | recorded = | venue = | studio = | genre = [[Film soundtrack]] | length = 30:43 | label = [[Yash Raj Films|YRF Music]] | producer = | prev_title = [[Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge?]] | prev_year = 2010 | next_title = [[Action Replayy]] | next_year = 2010 | misc = {{External media | audio1 = {{YouTube|v7gs5R1aXNc|Audio Jukebox}}}} }} The soundtrack of ''Badmaash Company'' was composed by [[Pritam]], with lyrics written by [[Anvita Dutt|Anvita Dutt Guptan]]. The [[film score]] was composed by [[Julius Packiam]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 April 2010 |title=Badmaash Company music review |url=https://www.filmibeat.com/music/reviews/2010/badmaash-company-music-review-120410.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121227132423/http://entertainment.oneindia.in/music/reviews/2010/badmaash-company-music-review-120410.html |archive-date=27 December 2012 |access-date=15 September 2012}}</ref>
{{Track listing | extra_column = Artist(s) | title1 = Ayaashi | extra1 = [[Krishnakumar Kunnath|KK]] || length1= 04:24 | title2 = Jingle Jingle | extra2 = [[Mohit Chauhan]], [[Master Saleem]], [[Monali Thakur]] || length2= 04:27 | title3 = Chaska | extra3 = [[Krishna Beura]] || length3= 05:14 | title4 = Fakeera | extra4 = [[Rahat Fateh Ali Khan]] || length4= 04:38 | title5 = Badmaash Company | extra5 = [[Benny Dayal]], [[Anushka Manchanda]] || length5= 03:58 | title6 = Ayaashi | note6 = Remix | extra6 = KK || length6= 04:12 | title7 = Chaska | note7 = Remix | extra7 = Krishna Beura ||length7= 03:49 }}
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.yashrajfilms.com/microsites/bc/fullpage.html}} * {{IMDb title}} * {{Bollywood Hungama movie|badmaash-company}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:2010 films]] [[Category:2010 Hindi-language films]] [[Category:2010 Indian films]] [[Category:2010s crime comedy-drama films]] [[Category:Films scored by Pritam]] [[Category:Films set in Mumbai]] [[Category:Indian buddy films]] [[Category:Indian crime comedy-drama films]] [[Category:Indian films set in New York City]] [[Category:Yash Raj Films films]] [[Category:2010s buddy films]] [[Category:Films adapted for other media]] [[Category:Films shot in New York City]] [[Category:Films shot in Atlantic City, New Jersey]] [[Category:Films shot in Philadelphia]] [[Category:Films shot in Bangkok]] [[Category:Films shot in Mumbai]] [[Category:Films shot in Hyderabad, India]] [[Category:Films set in Bangkok]] [[Category:Films about Indian Americans]] [[Category:Cultural depictions of Michael Jackson]] [[Category:Films set in 1994]]