Mumbai, Dec 29, 2023
The maestros of suspense genre — filmmakers Ram Madhvani, Homi Adajania and Sandeep Modi — have revealed what makes the thriller genre tick, and decoded their secrets of thrillers.
The year 2023 has been the year of suspense, mystery and emotion-packed stories, with adrenaline-pumping shows like ‘The Night Manager 1 and 2’, ‘Aarya’ and ‘Saas Bahu aur Flamingo’.
The mastermind behind ‘Aarya’ — Ram Madhvani — provided insights into decoding the thriller genre, saying: “I don’t think I’m making a thriller, I don’t think I’m making a crime show. I’m making a show about a family. I’m making a show about a character who’s put into difficult situations.
The backdrop of it may be or whatever that she’s going through. It could have been any other backdrop. It could have been an industrial kind of backdrop. So I think that is just the backdrop.”
Starring Sushmita Sen in the titular role, ‘Aarya’ revolves around an independent woman who seeks to protect her family and joins a mafia gang in order to get revenge for her husband’s murder.
The ‘Neerja’ director added: “I think what we’re really talking about here is the emotional and moral choices that this character has to make as a mother, as a friend, as a woman, as a worker, as a wife, and as a daughter.
“Not just that, but for all these characters, they’re making moral choices. That is really what is making the show exciting and interesting. It’s not the thrill, it’s not the action, it’s not the crime. It’s actually the emotion and the feeling of what the character is going through.”
The director and showrunner of ‘The Night Manager 1 & 2’, Sandeep Modi, delved into the art of suspense, saying, “I have always been drawn to the inherent nature of an undercover spy thriller. The fact that a spy is just one false step away from blowing his or her cover, which is a beautiful ticking bomb that keeps me on the edge.”
‘The Night Manager’ is a crime thriller starring Anil Kapoor, Aditya Roy Kapur, Sobhita Dhulipala and Tillotama Shome in key roles.
Sandeep said he was happy that the team could pass the thrill to the audiences with not just the performances, but styling, filming, editing and even the music score.
“The team was huge – from an Australian DOP to an uber chic internationally-celebrated styling team, to the best of actors from across the country. But the fact that we could unify them under a singular vision to create a gripping narrative that had an Indian heart but an international body was the true triumph for me as the creator,” he added.
Decoding the thriller genre, Homi Adajania, the creative force behind ‘Saas Bahu aur Flamingo’, shared: “As a director in the thriller genre, I’ve observed that audiences increasingly crave a blend of psychological depth and unpredictability. They seek stories that not only grip them with suspense, but also engage them on a deeper, more cerebral level.”
‘Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo’ stars Dimple Kapadia, Radhika Madan, Isha Talwar, Angira Dhar, Deepak Dobriyal, Monica Dogra and Naseeruddin Shah in key roles.
The ‘Cocktail’ director said that for him, thriller signifies a narrative that captivates and unsettles, making viewers question the very nature of reality and morality.
“My approach focuses on creating layered characters with ambiguous motivations, so it’s difficult to fully figure out how deep their scars are.
I also feel that the evolution of the thriller genre is not just about more sophisticated shock tactics, but about deepening the psychological and moral complexities within the narrative. This resonates with the viewers who seek not just entertainment but a truly immersive and thought-provoking experience,” added Homi.(Agency)
