INTERVIEW | Higher Stakes, Faster Pace: How The Raat Akeli Hai 2 Team Is Evolving The Sequel
Raat Akeli Hai 2: Deepti Naval, Chitrangda Singh, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Sanjay Kapoor Unveil Their Characters (Photo: Film poster)
The crime thriller franchise that began with the 2020 acclaimed movie, Raat Akeli Hai marks the return of Nawazuddin Siddiqui as the intense and sharp Inspector Jatil Yadav for the second instalment – Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders that starts streaming on Netflix from December 19. The original was lauded for its gritty tone, layered storytelling, and powerful performances, it followed Inspector Jatil Yadav as he investigated the murder of a wealthy patriarch, unravelling dark secrets within the family.
The sequel expands that universe while staying true to the film’s core themes of truth, justice, and moral ambiguity. It’s a new mystery with the plot revolving around a new, complex case involving the mass murder of the wealthy and influential Bansal family and the second instalment once again promises a gripping mix of mystery, suspense, and emotional drama as ‘Jatil’ dives into another dark and twisted case that challenges everything he stands for. Talking about returning to one of his most memorable roles, Siddiqui said the character remains close to his heart. “Jatil is flawed and restless, yet relentless in his pursuit of truth but this time I had to go deeper into my character, explore subtle psychological shifts and that made my role more enriching,” he says.
The second part is touted to be more intense, layered, complex and complicated by both creators as well as its ensemble cast. Screenwriter Smita Singh says that the stakes are “much higher” in the new instalment and director Honey Trehan reveals that some audiences found the original film slow-paced, and he has made a conscious effort to make the sequel more fast-paced and contemporary in its treatment. “The first film focused on a single family and a small-town inspector, but the new one expands the scope to include deeper politics and a mass murder scenario. I don’t want to call it a sequel, it is another chapter, a different story altogether,” says Trehan. Along with Siddiqui, Radhika Apte will reprise her role from the original film, while the sequel introduces a fresh lineup of actors, including Chitrangda Singh, Rajat Kapoor, Deepti Naval, Ila Arun, Revathy, Akhilendra Mishra, Priyanka Setia, and Sanjay Kapoor in pivotal roles. The makers have hinted that each character adds a new layer to the mystery, keeping the audience guessing till the end.
Chitrangda Singh, who was last seen in Khakee: The Bengal Chapter and earlier in Gaslight, will portray a key role in the second chapter of murder mystery. “I had loved the first one, I love courtroom dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Honey had asked me to do a special song for Raat Akeli Hai, but that didn’t happen. When he messaged me for the second part I was shooting Housefull 5 at that time, and Honey said, ‘What are you doing in January- February?’ and I said, ‘I’m going to shoot with you’,” says Singh with a laugh while also adding that the OTT landscape is widening the scope for her. “I feel I took a lot of time to do something for digital, the kind of talent I am getting to work here is outstanding,” she says. From modelling, Singh transitioned to acting with a breakthrough role in Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (2003). The actress is known for playing strong, layered female characters in films like Yeh Saali Zindagi, Desi Boyz, Baazaar, and Bob Biswas, while also venturing into production with Soorma (2018).
“The life of the character that I play in Raat Akeli Hai is very difficult, it is emotionally heavy, so I took some time to get into the part. But I get drawn to stories where my character carries that tension, such stories leave a trace on you long after you’ve walked away. Living in those unsettling spaces, and exploring that was both challenging and deeply fulfilling. It’s the kind of part that changes you a little, and those are the roles I say yes to,” says Singh. Looks like Singh has been consciously chasing variety and different genres as this year she’s swung from a hardcore comedy to a crime-thriller, and she also has a big canvas drama like Battle of Galwan (with Salman Khan) on the way.
With a shocking bald look, veteran actress Deepti Naval marks her entry into the franchise in the role of a spiritual leader referred to as “guru ma” with her character linked to a cult of followers, and the murder case involves investigating her and her group. Her character’s appearance adds a spiritual dimension to the investigation into the mass killing of the Bansal family. “I was waiting to do something really different and that is the reason I took it up. Honey managed to convince me. But I was definitely excited about the prosthetics. Honey told me I won’t regret it and I just trusted him. Whatever he told me, I followed him blindly and kept the same pace, same style and that is what has worked for the film I guess. The film got a tremendous response during IFFI where it was screened,” says Naval.
Sanjay Kapoor who was seen in Murder Mubarak (2024), also a murder mystery, says that one was a more fun space, whereas, Raat Akeli Hai is intense. “Even where the performance is concerned every actor has got an intense attitude towards it,” he says. “For the last six to seven years I have been getting great opportunities to work with different directors. Every time I get a call, I keep my fingers crossed hoping the role is good and I do it. Good role doesn’t necessarily mean a lengthy role, even if you have few but impactful scenes it is great. At times directors say we need you for 15 days but you may not create an impact but there are times you give six to seven days but you feel you have worked for 100 days. I am happy to be in this space,” says Kapoor, who has successfully reinvented his career in recent years by shifting focus to character-driven roles in web series and anthology films. This strategic move, heavily leveraging the rise of OTT platforms, has earned him renewed critical appreciation and relevance.
Interestingly, the first part of the film was written by Smita Singh as her diploma film in 2012 when she was studying at the coveted Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune. Around the same time, Trehan was on the lookout for stories to make his first film and that’s when an agent sent across a 30-page script of Raat Akeli Hai to the director. His quest for finding writers ended when he read the entire script and was instantly amused by the writing. “Then I met Smita, and she came on board. That’s how the journey started,” Trehan recalls. “This is yet another chapter with the desi Sherlock Holmes, and if we already have a ‘detective’ why solve just one case? Aur kand toh hote rahenge (Scandalous incidents will keep happening), we will make more cases,” says Trehan. While one wonders about his experience working with actors from different timelines and generations, Trehan says, “I didn’t plan anything, I got those very actors I wanted to cast. But yes, I had that mental security. On my set I not only had actors, I also had five to six directors – Deepti, Radhika, Rajat, Nawaz, Revathy… all are directors as well.”
Read More
- EXCLUSIVE | What Is Hurting Bollywood? Industry Experts Share Insights
- Bollywood’s Horror Revival: Big Budgets, A-List Stars and Slick Visuals Replace Tacky Tropes
- ‘Ram Gopal Varma Was And Is In The Big League’: Manoj Bajpayee On Reuniting With His Mentor After Over 25 years
