Paatal Lok creator Sudip Sharma says whodunnits are done to death: 'That genre died with Agatha Christie

Prime Video's upcoming film Babita Singh Reporting is set to release on August 28, offering a unique spin on the classic whodunnit genre. In a recent chat with Hindustan Times, executive producer Sudip Sharma delves into the film’s approach and its take on this popular genre.

For decades, crime thrillers have captivated audiences worldwide. However, over the years, murder mysteries have become increasingly complex. The introduction of twists and socio-political layers has added depth to these stories.

Today, a murder mystery is often a coming-of-age tale. For related coverage, explore our detailed analysis on Technology and Digital Systems.

The Evolution of Whodunnit

Babita Singh Reporting, starring Nimisha Sajayan as a suspended police officer in Madhya Pradesh, stumbles upon a murder investigation while visiting her in-laws. The film not only focuses on finding the killer but also explores Babita’s journey of self-discovery.

Executive producer Sudip Sharma emphasizes that whodunnit stories require a fresh approach to remain engaging. 'Whodunnit, as a genre, has been done to death,' he says. 'If you still want to do a whodunnit, you need to find a nuance in it.'

Babita Singh Reporting offers this nuance Sudip Sharma explains that he prefers films with this approach. 'It's never about the reveal. Personally, those are not the stories that resonate.'

A Fresh Perspective

Sudip adds that one cannot disregard the reveal completely but also should not be caught up in it. 'You still need to give a satisfying reveal because that is the promise of the genre,' he says.

Babita Singh Reporting stars Barun Sobti and is directed The film will release on Prime Video on August 28.

“You still need to give a satisfying reveal because that is the promise of the genre.

But that cannot be the only promise of the film,” he adds.Babita Singh Reporting also stars Barun Sobti and is directed The film releases on Prime Video on August 28.

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The whodunnit is perhaps the most explored genre in crime. For decades, crime thrillers have regaled audiences across languages, countries, and cultures. People feel a good murder mystery is timeless.

But over the years, murder mysteries have become more complex. First it was with the introduction of twists and later with socio-political layers. Today, a murder myster is often a coming-of-age tale, as Prime Video’s upcoming film, Babita Singh Reporting is.

In a chat with Hindustan Times, executive producer Sudip Sharma talks about the film and the genre at large.Sudip Sharma on Babita Singh ReportingBabita Singh Reporting stars Nimisha Sajayan as a suspended, underconfident law enforcement personnel officer in Madhya Pradesh who stumbles upon a murder inquiry while visiting her in-laws. The film is as much about finding the killer as it is about finding Babita and her true self.

Talking about this approach, Sudip Sharma says, “Whodunnit, as a genre, has been done to death If you still want to do a whodunnit, you need to find a fresher take, some nuance in it. That’s true for any genre that you have explored with a certain amount of frequency.”Sudip, best known for creating Paatal Lok, adds that Babita Singh Reporting provides that freshness.

“That is what I found exciting about this film that although it is a story about an inquiry, there is a lot more to it. In some ways, the inquiry becomes a conduit in her own search for herself,” he adds.

‘That genre passed away with Agatha Christie’Babita Singh Reporting is a film that places the reveal of the mystery secondary to the protagonist’s own journey. Sudip adds that he prefers films that do this. “It’s never about the reveal.

Personally, those are not the stories that resonate where it’s about ‘I could never guess who the killer is’. That genre is long gone. It passed away with Agatha Christie.

Now, it’s really about the things that one discovers on the journey, and the larger spotlight that you can draw on the story.” He cautions that one cannot disregard the reveal completely, but also not be caught up in it. “You still need to give a satisfying reveal because that is the promise of the genre.

But that cannot be the only promise of the film,” he adds.Babita Singh Reporting also stars Barun Sobti and is directed The film releases on Prime Video on August 28.