Mumbai, Dec 27 (IANS) Actress Chitrangda Singh says the deeper social themes in “Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders”, from patriarchy and class divides to inheritance politics within Indian families, became clearer to her only as the film took shape on set.
Asked “Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders”, subtly comments on patriarchy, class and inheritance within Indian families. How aware was she of these themes while performing, and did it influence her choices as an actor?
Reflecting on her experience, Chitrangda shared that during her first narration with director Honey Trehan, she did not fully grasp how central the social commentary would eventually be to the narrative.
“I honestly, you know, in the first narration that I had with Honey Trehan, I wasn’t very sure that this was something that would be such an important part of the narrative. But after, you know, we started shooting and then slowly you see the dialogues kind of, you know, always underlining these things and in the way it got played out finally,” Chitrangda told IANS.
The actress added that this layered approach is what, according to her, defines Honey Trehan’s filmmaking.
“I think now I understand how important the social commentary was for Honey Trehan and that is the beauty of his filmmaking that I feel he is one of those filmmakers who don’t, are not just saying one thing in a scene, there’s so many other layers to every, to every scene.”
Chitrangda believes this nuanced treatment is also what sets Raat Akeli Hai apart from a conventional murder mystery.
“And, you know, apparently they’re running and I think that is why it kind of stands apart from a regular murder mystery. It’s not that is what has become such an important part of the story as well,” she concluded.
“Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders” is a crime thriller film directed by Honey Trehan. The film also stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Radhika Apte. It is a sequel to 2020’s Raat Akeli Hai.
The sequel picks up years after the first case, with Inspector Jatil Yadav returning as a more experienced but still morally stubborn officer. When members of the influential Bansal family become linked to a new suspicious death, Jatil is called in to investigate once again.
What initially appears to be an open-and-shut case quickly turns complicated. The Bansals are wealthier, more powerful, and far better at hiding their secrets than before. Every family member presents a polished version of the truth, while quietly protecting their own interests.
She will next be seen in the Battle Of Galwan with superstar Salman Khan. The film is based on the Galwan stand-off between India and its expansionist neighbour, China on June 15, 2020 during the thick of the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in India.
–IANS
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