Entertainment

Deepa Mehta to direct thriller about Indian woman serial killer

The film is set to mount the shooting floor in August and September.

Deepa Mehta (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

By: Mohnish Singh

Known for helming such notable films as Fire and Midnight’s Children, acclaimed filmmaker Deepa Mehta is now set to direct her next film. Titled Troilokya, the thriller film revolves around an Indian woman known to be a serial killer.

Bankrolled through pan-Asian film company Through The Lens Entertainment and India’s Open Air Films, Troilokya is set in 19th century Calcutta during British rule and sees a female prostitute embark on an unheard-of killing spree. For more than a decade, she is hunted down by Detective Priyonath Mukhopadhyay.

Talking about the film, Mehta said in a statement, “The challenge of depicting a serial murderess as a heroine is what intrigues me most about Troilokya. ‘Is it possible to muster empathy for this child bride turned prostitute turned killer?’ is a question I ask myself. And the answer is always an unequivocal ‘yes.’”

She added, “Her journey in British-colonized India is, in my opinion, jaw-dropping. ‘Troilokya’ finally lays to rest the image of long-suffering, docile, and husband-worshipping Indian women with mind-blowing compassion. ‘Troilokya’ was a no-brainer project to resist. I can’t wait to be on set and say ‘Action!’”

Screenwriter Juhi Chaturvedi of Piku and October fame has written the screenplay. The film is set to mount the shooting floor in August and September with locations including India and Thailand.

Stay tuned to this space for more updates and reveals.