Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders movie review: A layered exploration of crime and entitlement
Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders
| Photo Credit: Netflix
As we wait for Honey Trehan’s Punjab 95, which is still under Censor scrutiny, the filmmaker transports us to the heart of Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow-Kanpur axis, spinning a sharp crime thriller with a throbbing conscience.
The spiritual sequel builds on the original’s noir aesthetic, using its atmospheric whodunit structure to examine how power dynamics and moral corruption shape justice and revenge in an unequal society. By asking what happens when victims and perpetrators trade places, Honey brings emotional depth to the unraveling of the mystery. Through vivid symbols — bulldozers and shallow graves — he critiques how power conceals exploitation and shields the corrupt.
The narrative picks up as Inspector Jatil Yadav (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) delves into another complicated murder case involving the affluent but dysfunctional Bansal family. On an ominous night, six members of the media mogul Mahendra Bansal (S.M. Zaheer) are brutally massacred by a machete.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui Radhika Apte in he film
| Photo Credit:
Netflix
Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders (Hindi)
Director: Honey Trehan
Duration:136 minutes
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Chitrangada Singh, Deepti Naval, Radhika Apte, Ila Arun, Sanjay Kapoor
Synopsis: When members of the affluent Bansal family are brutally murdered in their mansion, Inspector Jatil Yadav is called to investigate.
The needle of suspicion moves from a young Aarav, who is addicted to drugs, to Meera (Chitrangada Singh), the force behind the print business, before a personal tragedy turns her into a mourning mother. She covers her bitterness with a spiritual cover provided by a dubious preacher in white (Deepti Naval), who has a knack for finding vulnerable people’s soft spots.
There is a family feud angle, with Rajat (Sanjay Kapoor) heading the empire’s electronic media arm. Besides, there are staff members, easy targets for a police force under pressure to solve the case without stretching itself too much. In short, writer Smita Singh dangles a number of red herrings to keep us invested. Jatil’s boss, the ambivalent Verma (Rajat Kapoor), and prejudiced senior Chauhan (Akhilendra Mishra) want a quick resolution that doesn’t harm the family’s business interests or their own. However, Jatil wants to get to the bottom of the case, and in the forensics head, Dr. Panicker (Revathi), he finds a much-needed ally. In the real world, it is hard to find a prototype of Dr Panicker, but then fiction instills hope.
A refreshed Nawaz anchors the film with a restrained yet magnetic performance of an investigator navigating corruption, both within and without. Relying on subtle expressions and pauses, he conveys Jatil’s inner conflict and unyielding integrity in a measured fashion. Radhika Apte’s return as Jatil’s partner is limited to a cameo-like role, primarily meant to explore Jatil’s battle with his flaws.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui Radhika Apte in he film
| Photo Credit:
Netflix
A casting director of repute before turning to direction, Honey fills the scene with powerhouse performers. Chitrangada Singh brings restrained ambiguity to her key role in the Bansal household, while veterans like Deepti Naval, as a creepy godwoman, and Revathi add gravitas.
On the flip side, Honey takes your time setting up the crime scene and character arcs. It is not a bad idea, given that Rajat and Akhilendra are showing their class, but the effort to get into the nitty-gritty of forensics stalls the narrative flow. For a while, it feels like a slow burn, as if the fuel has been deliberately allowed to simmer. However, when the narrative picks up pace and the emotional layers reveal themselves, we are in for a surprise.
Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders is currently streaming on Netflix.
Published – December 19, 2025 10:39 pm IST
