Criminal cases on celluloid
After Indrani Mukherjea, wife of top TV honcho Peter Mukherjea, was arrested in the mysterious disappearance and killing of her sister-turned-daughter Sheena Bora, what has burst on our face is an incomprehensible web of deceit and lies. The case, which has left the nation sleepless, was about to set tongues wagging about its possible big-screen depiction when Mahesh Bhatt revealed the uncanny resemblances it has with the story that he had penned in May: Ab Raat Guzarnewali Hai. The gory story of crime and passion, revolving around multiple partners and the flush of money that Bhatt has written for his protégé Guroudev Bhalla, is expected to roll in December. Considering our directors' nose for news, it is likely to be the beginning of a series of films bearing similarities with the case. Here's a look at films inspired from criminal cases in the recent past.
Criminal cases on celluloid
Films: Talvar
Starring Irrfan, Tabu, Konkana Sen Sharma, Neeraj Kabi and Soham Shah, Talvar is one of most-awaited films of the year. In 2008, Aarushi Talwar, 14, and a domestic help employed with her family, Hemraj Banjade, 45, were found murdered in her home. Aarushi’s aunt Vandana Talwar launched a campaign to prove the innocence of Aarushi’s parents, Rajesh and Nupur Talwar.
Criminal cases on celluloid
Film: Yet-untitled by by Rhitobrata Bhattacharya
Skeletons started tumbling out of the De residence on Robinson Road after the charred remains of an elderly man was taken out by the police. Turned out, son of Arabindo, the deceased, had been living with the skeletons of his sister Debjani and two pet dogs, also trying to feed them regularly with slices of pizza. Rhitobrata Bhattacharya is now gearing up to represent the De family skeleton case on celluloid. Actress Tonusree Chakraborty will play the role of Debjani and Biswajit Chakraborty will be Arobindo De, father of Debjani and Partha in the film. The director is yet to zero in on an actor who will play the role of Partha in the movie.
Criminal cases on celluloid
Film: No One Killed Jessica
Starring Rani Mukerji and Vidya Balan in the lead, the Raj Kumar Gupta film was based on the true story of Jessica Lal, a Delhi-based model, who was shot in 1999 at a New Delhi restaurant by Manu Sharma. Jessica, who was working there at that time, had reportedly refused drinks to Manu, as the bar was closed for the day. The influential family that Manu belonged to pulled out all the stops to prove him innocent. In December 2006, Manu was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Criminal cases on celluloid
Films: 3 Kanya, Park Street
That it was banned in the state-run Star Theatre for its alleged `anti-government' stand made more news than the story of Agnidev Chatterjee's 3 Kanya.The claims were rubbished by the theatre authorities. Starring Rituparna Sengupta, the film is said to bear a resemblance to the real-life Park Street rape case, in which an Anglo-Indian woman was raped in a moving car in February 2013.Another film titled Park Street, with the tagline 'Don't Cross The Line', directed by Partha Mukherjee, went largely unnoticed after a low-key release this year.
Criminal cases on celluloid
Film: Not a Love Story
The audience popped the chill pill, when in 2011, Ram Gopal Varma came up with Not a Love Story based on the killing of TV executive Neeraj Grover. Though the director insisted the film was not a biopic, there were many similarities between the reel and real players. Neeraj was helping small-time actress Maria Susairaj build her career in Mumbai. Maria was in a relationship with Lieutenant ML Jerome Mathew. On May 6, 2008, Neeraj reportedly went to meet Maria but never returned. Mahie Gill played a character based on Maria in the movie.
Criminal cases on celluloid
Films: The Journey of Love and Passion, Damini... The Victim, Aaj Ki Freedom, India's Daughter (Docu)
A host of films were also being made on the 2012 Delhi gang-rape of a paramedical student, who took a bus after catching a movie with a friend on an evening out. Tara, The Journey of Love and Passion, Damini... The Victim and Aaj Ki Freedom failed to make an impact at the box office. Later, India's Daughter, a documentary directed by Leslee Udwin, brought back international focus on the incident. It included an interview by the convict Mukesh Singh and was eventually banned in the country.
Criminal cases on celluloid
Film: Chirodini... Tumi je Amar
Director Raj Chakrabarty tasted success with his first film, Chirodini... Tumi Je Amar (2008), loosely based on the tragic love story of Rizwanur Rahman-Priyanka Todi. Rizwanur, who fell in love with Priyanka, coming from an affluent family, died in September, about two weeks after his wife was forcefully separated from him.His body was found lying beside a railway line. The inept handling of this widely publicized case also spelt disaster for the then ruling party in Bengal.
Criminal cases on celluloid
Film: Proloy, 2013
A crime thriller directed by Raj Chakrabarty, Proloy focused on the life and fight of deceased school teacher Barun Biswas. A social activist, Barun had co-founded Sutia Gonodhorshon Pratibad Mancha to protest against a local criminal gang, who wreaked havoc on the locals. In July 2012, while returning from Kolkata, Barun was shot outside the Gobardanga railway station. Subsequently, cops arrested five men with ties to the Sutia gang. The alleged assassin reportedly confessed to the police that he was contracted by gang leader Sushanta Choudhury, who was serving life imprisonment in Dum Dum Central Jail.
Criminal cases on celluloid
Film: Anjuna Beach
More than three years after Scarlett Keeling was left to die at Anjuna Beach, her story was retold on screen in 2011 by writer-director Shakeel S Saifee. On February 18, 2008, Scarlett, 15, was found dead at the beach in north Goa. The case was transferred to the CBI and two accused -beach shack hands Simon D'Souza and Placido Carvalho -have been facing trial since 2010. The incident tarnished Goa's image as a safe holiday destination and drew ire from foreign nationals after Scarlett's mother Fiona Mackeown started campaigning for justice and claimed how the police and politicians were involved in covering up the death as a suicide.
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