Murder, she wrote

A still from the 2021 film, Silence

Shooting in the Mumbai monsoons can be a task. Director Abaan Deohans knows it all too well, having taken Silence 2 on floors in July. The sequel to Silence (2021) sees Manoj Bajpayee reprise his role of ACP Avinash Verma, who is tasked with a new murder case. The director, who wrapped up the murder mystery last month, says the rains caused many logistical issues - from water-logging on sets, to the cast and crew being unable to reach the locations on time due to traffic woes. "The sound department was the worst affected. In the rain, we couldn't hear what the actors were saying. One can manage if it's a seven-to-10-day schedule, but we shot the entire film at the peak of monsoons," says Deohans.

Director Abaan Deohans

During the promotions for the 2021 film, Bajpayee had spoken of his faith in the genre and the director. Strangely, even as Agatha Christie remains the most prolific mystery crime writer, few women filmmakers have explored the genre. Deohans says she has always leaned towards crime dramas. "I never read romance novels as a kid. [Murder mysteries] are my genre. During my research, the cops told me that such cases require 80 per cent tablework and 20 per cent fieldwork. It's never about action, it's about using your brains. Writing such a film is interesting because you have to be a step ahead of viewers."