Rating: ★★★☆☆
It took five years for Raat Akeli Hai to return — and that wait shows. The Bansal Murders doesn’t feel rushed, manufactured, or built purely to cash in on familiarity. Instead, director Honey Trehan treats this follow-up as a spiritual successor rather than a direct continuation, allowing the film to stand on its own while retaining the DNA that made the original quietly compelling.
The result is a moody, blood-soaked thriller that grips more often than it falters — even if it doesn’t fully reach the darkness it flirts with.
The Story: A Family Wiped Out Overnight
The film centres on the wealthy Bansal family, who are discovered brutally murdered in their home — all killed overnight, throats slit with chilling precision. An eerie parallel runs alongside the crime: a group of crows found dead on the property, mirroring the family’s fate.
As suspicion spreads, multiple figures come under scrutiny — a drug-addicted son, a mysterious godwoman (Deepti Naval), and an opportunistic relative (Sanjay Kapoor). Tasked with untangling the truth is Inspector Jatil Yadav (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), whose calm, methodical approach once again anchors the narrative.
The investigation unfolds through layers of secrets, misdirection, and buried family rot, with Trehan keeping the tone unsettling from the start.
Direction & Writing: Assured, But Uneven
Trehan has previously stated that he doesn’t view this film as a sequel — and that choice works in its favour. Beyond familiar characters, The Bansal Murders explores entirely new territory, free from narrative baggage.
The opening stretch is especially strong. The atmosphere is thick, the violence unflinching, and one standout forensic sequence — where the crime scene is examined inch by inch — is both disturbing and sharply staged.
However, the film stumbles when it leans too heavily on red herrings, particularly the godwoman subplot. In trying to mislead too effectively, the narrative briefly loses its grip. The crowded character list adds to the confusion, and a few plot turns rely on convenience rather than deduction.
Still, Trehan pulls things back together by the climax, tying the threads neatly even if the journey there feels uneven.
Performances: Nawazuddin Carries It Again
Nawazuddin Siddiqui slips back into Jatil Yadav with ease, delivering a performance that’s controlled, observant, and quietly human. His scenes away from the crime — especially those touching on his personal life — add emotional texture to an otherwise grim investigation.
Radhika Apte, in a special appearance as Radha, shares effortless chemistry with Nawaz. Their dynamic is so natural that it briefly threatens to steal focus — in the best way.
Revathi is a delight as the forensic head, bringing calm authority and understated humour. Sanjay Kapoor and Rajat Kapoor offer solid support, while Chitrangda Singh, playing a broken mother, delivers a sincere performance that occasionally struggles during emotionally demanding moments.
What Works
- A chilling setup that hooks you early
- Strong atmosphere and unsettling crime detailing
- Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s assured central performance
- A climax that resolves the mystery cleanly
What Doesn’t
- Too many red herrings dilute narrative focus
- The godwoman track feels overstretched
- Some reliance on convenience over logic
- Missed opportunity to push the darkness further
Final Verdict
Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders isn’t flawless, but it remains consistently engaging, even when it wobbles. It may not match the eerie precision of the original at every turn, but strong performances, confident direction, and a satisfying resolution make it a worthy follow-up in spirit.
There was room to go darker, sharper, and more ruthless — but what we get is still a solid, watchable investigative thriller that respects the audience’s patience.
Now streaming on Netflix.
