It is not new to come on screen of literary works, but now thriller and criminal stories dominated the screen
In recent times, the trend of books based on books and serials has increased. Although films have always been made on popular books and stories, but these days the films being made on the books show a lack of new and fresh plot, as well as the trend of raising controversial subjects for earnings. In this connection, the trend of filming thriller and crime stories has also intensified. One reason is that films already made on books already pull the audience. The second reason is that the story is found, which does not have to be done much. After Korona, the way new stories have been totted in the industry and the films coming in theaters are going to be pit, the filmmakers are now looking for readymade goods instead of spending on writing the story. In such a situation, crime tale, thrill story, spy stories made on books are drawing more audiences. Nowadays the vessel starring Vicky Kaushal is in the headlines. Sambhaji Maharaj’s life, struggle and valor are shown in a film based on the novel Chhawa by famous Marathi writer Shivaji Sawant. This year another amazing series has come, named Black Warrant. The web series is based on the book Black Warrant: Confessions of a Tihar Jailor, written by former Jailor Sunil Kumar Gupta and journalist Sunetra Chaudhary, former Jailor of Tihar Jail, considered Asia’s largest jail. For the first time in the series, Jehan Kapoor has come on screen, who is Shashi Kapoor’s grandson.
The night manager
In the same year, a film named Match Fixing, adorned with the lead roles of Vineet Kumar Singh, Anuja Sathe and Manoj Joshi, was also released, which is based on former Army Intelligence Officer Colonel Kanwar Khatana’s book The Game Behind Saffron Terror. The film focuses on Malegaon Blast, Colonel Purohit, Abhinav Bharat, Sadhvi Pragya and Mumbai attacks. In January this year, Satyajit Rai’s Bengali short story Galppo Bolaye was released on Tarini, the film The Storytellor was released. The web series released in late February is made under the co-direction of Crime Beat veteran director Sudhir Mishra. Its story is based on Somnath Batabyal’s book The Price You Pay. It highlights the complex equations present between Delhi journalists, policemen and the crime world.
Gandhi-Godse a war
The year 2023, 2024 and 2025 were named after films and web series based on many selected books. 2023 began with a film based on famous writer and playwright Asghar Vajahat’s drama Godse@gandhi.com. There was a lot of controversy about this series, which came under the name of Gandhi-Godse, a war. The film became extraordinary due to the questions raised in it. Through the dialogue between Nathuram Godse and Gandhi, the film talks on all the subjects like the issue of unbroken India, the concept of united India, the pluralistic culture of India, communalism, partition of India.
This year another film came which was based on a novel written on a historical theme. Mani Ratnam, based on the famous novel written by noted Tamil writer Kalki Krishnamurthy, made a film in two parts named Ponyin Selvan which was well received by the audience. In the famous Tamil magazine Kalki, the story of Ponanian Selvan began to be published in the serial form. The first installment saw a different craze among the readers towards this serial. The novel was printed and preferred as a serial for three and a half years. It was Tamil’s biggest novel of about two and a half thousand pages. It was also printed in three installments as a book.
Scoop
The film had a saga of the politics of the Chola Empire, power struggle, royal love and deception, which exposes the clotting of the Chola Empire and hidden within it through characters such as Aditya Karikalan, Ponanian Selvan and Vandiyatthevan. The first part of the film was released in 2022.
The Vaccine War also recorded his name in the list of films on the book. The film by writer-director Vivek Agnihotri was based on the book Going viral-Making of Kovaxin: The Inside Story, the book Going of Dr. Balram Bhargava, former Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The film highlights the hard work of Indian scientists who developed indigenous vaccine by trying day and night to deal with the Kovid-19 epidemic.
Webseries on Netflix also got a lot of viewers. The Japanese novel The Division of Suspect X Thriller was and Sujoy Ghosh was Indianized and hit it beautifully. This novel by Kigo Higashino has a story of a detective. Kareena Kapoor, Jaideep Ahlawat and Vijay Verma killed in this exciting story. With this film, Kareena Kapoor has entered the OTT world.
The vaccine war
Similarly, intelligence also caught the attention of the audience. The story of the film was based on Escape to Novhair, a spy to Amar Bhushan, former head of the Counter Espianage Unit of Research and Analysis Wing (Raw). Although this novel, based on the true story of Amar Bhushan’s life, was described as fictional, but it was shot in a great way by writer-director Vishal Bhardwaj. Amar Bhushan has also worked in BSF intelligence agent, State Special Branch and Intelligence Bureau. Along with the story, there was a lot of discussion about the actors of this film. Especially Tabu and Vamika Gabbi’s brilliant acting kept the audience tied.
It is true that thriller films have their own different audience, but there is no shortage of audiences of social films. Anurag Pathak’s bestseller novel 12th failure made a film with the same name, which was highly appreciated by the audience. The story of Assistant Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Sharma posted in Mumbai, 2005 batch, was brought alive by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. This film gave a different identity to Vikran Massey. Another film came on the go of 2023 which was based on the book, but the film could not have as much impact as it was. King Krishna Menon made Pippa with Ishaan Khattar and Mrinal Thakur but could not make a special impact. The film was based on the retired Brigadier Balram Singh Mehta’s book The Burning Chafeez. This is the story of the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war.
A series on OTT with the same name based on British writer John Le Carra’s detective novel The Night Manager made a big splash. This story of the weapon dealer was well liked by the audience. This novel was first made a show in UK in 2016. Its fame became such that after that this series was made in many languages around the world.
Jigna Vora’s book Behind Bars in Bhaiyakhala: Director Hansal Mehta made a web series on My Day in Prison. Hansal’s efficient direction and Jagriti Pathak’s role was done by Karisma Tanna. Similarly, Scam 2003: The Telgi Story also made a big splash. TV journalist Sanjay Singh’s popular book Telgi Scam- The web series on a reporter’s diary was based on the life of fraudulent Abdul Karim, who used to print a fake government project paper. It was also made by Hansal Mehta.
The Freelancer web series was also based on the book. It was no less than a gift for those who like crime and thriller. The Freelancer writer Shirish Thorat’s book A Ticket to Syria is based on. It was directed by Dhulia. This is the story of the rescue operation of a young girl who was forced into Syria affected by the war. In 2023 itself, the fifth web series of this year based on the book, Bombay Meri Jaan came. Directed by Shujaat Saudagar, this web series is based on a book written by famous journalist and crime writer S Hussain Zaidi. The manufacturers claimed that its story is fictional, but the viewers know that it is inspired by Zaidi’s book Dongri to Dubai. The story is from the 1970s when it was said that Mumbai (then Bombay) used to rule the underworld more than the government.
Charlie Chopra and the Mystery of Solang Valley released a web series before the end of 2023. The series is based on the detective novel The Sitaford Mystery of Agatha Christie, who specializes in creating crime stories. The series was directed and co-produced by National Award winning filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj.
It is always challenging to put any great literary work on screen. Shri Ram Raghavan, the Maharathi of the thriller genre in Bollywood, not only accepted this challenge but also gave my Christmas film unmatched with his direction talent. The film not only brought alive the depth of its original novel, but also brought it to a new height. My Christmas is based on a novel La Monte Charge written by popular French writer Frederick Da. The nuances of the film and its mysterious aspects mesmerized the audience with an understanding of the cinema. Anuja Chauhan’s book Club You To Death, based on Homi Adajania, the film Murder Mubarak revolves around a murder at the famous The Royal Club in Delhi. Pankaj Tripathi’s performance in the role of ACP Bhavani Singh in the film is amazing.
The eight -episode web series based on the famous novel Murder in Murder in Murder in Murder in Murder in Murder in Murder in Murder in Murder in the audience. The strong acting of Vijay Raj and Ashutosh Rana is worth watching.
(Interested in independent writer, literature, cinema and stroller.)
