Logout Movie Review: Babil Khan steers a relevant, thought-provoking, yet inconsistent psychological digital thriller

The story revolves around Pratyush Dua (Babil Khan), a rising social media star known for his alter ego ‘Pratman.’

‘Logout’ is a film that delves into the consequences of excessive mobile phone usage in the age of digital dependency. It attempts to show how smartphones, once tools of convenience, can slowly begin to dominate our lives to an extent where regaining control feels nearly impossible. Centered around a social media influencer, the film explores the highs and lows of the race for online relevance and the dangers that come with chasing constant validation.

Running a little under two hours, the film holds your interest for the most part, although a few stretches feel repetitive and cause the narrative to sag. That said, it recovers well in its final act and lands with impact. It succeeds in leaving you with questions about your own screen time and dependency. Despite its rough edges, ‘Logout’ is a film that forces reflection and delivers its message with the required emotional weight.

When a digital crisis turns personal

The story revolves around Pratyush Dua (Babil Khan), a rising social media star known for his alter ego ‘Pratman.’ He is on the cusp of hitting the coveted ten million follower mark, and his closest rival, Ankita, is not far behind. The pressure is on, and every move counts. Just as he’s preparing to cross this digital milestone and land a brand deal, Pratyush forgets his phone in a cab after a night out.

What initially seems like a minor mishap quickly spirals into something far more sinister. He receives a call from a fan identifying herself as ‘Pratmaniac,’ who informs him that his phone is in the possession of the cab driver—someone willing to return it only if paid. What begins as a hopeful recovery effort soon takes a psychological turn when it's revealed that the fan is Sakshi Kishore, a young girl dealing with deep-seated emotional and psychological challenges, many of which stem from her own compulsive relationship with her phone.

Intimate setting, uneven execution

The film's action largely plays out within the confines of Pratyush’s room, with the computer screen becoming the primary medium for unfolding events. The emotional tension and narrative movement rely heavily on the long, sometimes strained conversations between Pratyush and Sakshi, alias Pratmaniac. Babil Khan's grounded performance helps anchor these moments and prevents the narrative from becoming too stagnant or monotonous.

His screen presence does much of the heavy lifting. The voice performance of Pratmaniac, however, lacks impact. One expects her voice to be unsettling or mysterious enough to draw intrigue, but it rarely achieves that. There are also some glaring loopholes in the screenplay. A key one being the lack of initiative from Pratyush to obtain the cab driver’s contact and resolve the situation directly. That logical step is surprisingly—and frustratingly—ignored.

Babil Khan anchors the film

Babil Khan brings an honest and relatable quality to the role of Pratyush. His expressions convey the stress, helplessness, and paranoia of someone whose digital life is slipping out of control. His fear of losing to Ankita in the online race, coupled with the anxiety that his personal data could be exposed, is portrayed with sincerity. Babil is the only actor who features prominently on screen, and the camera lingers on him for most of the runtime.

The rest of the cast—Nimisha Nair as Sakshi and Gandharv Dewan as JD—are limited to voice roles, and while their dialogues are functional, they don’t leave much of a mark. Rasika Dugal appears briefly in a small cameo as Pratyush’s sister, adding a touch of warmth to an otherwise intense setup. The supporting characters, though minimally present, serve their purpose without distracting from the central narrative.

A flawed but thought-provoking thriller

‘Logout’ ends as a sobering look at our collective phone obsession and the creeping erosion of privacy in the digital age. Structured as a psychological thriller, the film tries to highlight how the devices we carry can begin to shape our behaviour, relationships, and even identity. The storytelling is far from flawless—especially when it leans into repetition or skips over logical steps—but it still manages to deliver its cautionary tale effectively. It uses a single setting and a tight character focus to underscore a much larger cultural issue. Despite its imperfections, ‘Logout’ achieves what it sets out to do: it makes the viewer introspect. And in a world where phone addiction is often normalised or dismissed, that alone feels like a significant achievement.

Cast: Babil Khan, Gandharv Dewan, Nimisha Nair, and Rasika Dugal

Director: Amit Golani

Watch exclusive interview of Babil Khan