Detective Films are a subgenre of the crime or Mystery Fiction Genre that has been extensively explored by Hollywood.
The era of the 1930’s and 1940’s was dominated by such Films. Amid praising the West, people often forget that even Bollywood has delivered some good Detective Films over the years.
If you want to watch a Detective Bollywood Film, we have listed the 6 Must-Watch Detective Films of Bollywood that should be on your watch list-
1. Detective Byomkesh Bakshy (2015)
Detective Byomkesh Bakshi was a popular TV series in India. It kept audiences glued to their TV screens, making it an iconic character. Based on this TV show, a film with the same title was made. It starred Sushant Singh Rajput as the titular character.
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Byomkesh Bakshi is a recent college graduate in the 1940s. It was an era when the situation in Calcutta wasn’t normal. In that setup, he was tasked with his first case as a detective when his father, Dibakar Banerjee, disappeared without a trace.
At first, it seems that he might have solved the case when he gets a clue. However, later, his father and a politician are killed, and the young man tries to take a different road to solve the case. Things become complex, and he comes to know that there are more forces involved in this work, and things keep taking turns, making his job difficult.
2. Talaash (2012)
Some films are promoted with mysterious vibes around the plot that leave audiences confused about what they can expect. One such Detective-themed film in Bollywood was Talaash.
It follows the plot of Inspector Surjan Shekhawat (Aamir Khan). He has recently lost his son, who drowned in an accident. Along with grieving the death of his son, he feels himself respond in the same.
Due to this incident, whenever he looks into the eyes of his wife, it reminds him of his son. While dealing with all this, a strange accident takes place involving an actor and some supernatural elements. Solving this complex case drives his mind away until he uncovers something important about his life. The plot twists and turns in the film manage to keep you on the edge of your seat.
3. Agent Vinod (2012)
As the name suggests, Agent Vinod is the story of an RAW Agent in India played by Saif Ali Khan. He is tasked with the mission to find out about the culprit who killed his fellow RAW Agent. At first, it seems to be a simple murder investigation case for him.
But as he goes deeper into the investigation, he finds bigger plans behind the case. He manages to uncover that a few terrorists are trying to get their hands on a nuclear device and its control that could be used for ill purposes.
On the other hand, he falls in love with Ruby, a British-Pakistani who is an undercover agent for ISI. He has a big task to find out the complete details and stop this, which makes a decent plot for a Detective Film.
4. Naam Shabana (2017)
This list would have certainly been incomplete without the mention of a female Detective. Naam Shabana is allegedly the first Bollywood film whose character began and developed in a series of films.
The film is a prequel to the 2015 film Baby. It follows the story of an undercover spy, Shabana Khan (Taapsee Pannu). She is a regular college girl who fears trusting others and gets easily scared. The reason behind it is that her father left during her childhood.
But the death of a close friend in an accident makes her transform into an undercover field agent for Indian Intelligence. She improves her fighting skills and gets trained by a mentor, giving rise to the strong character of a female spy/Detective.
5. Rahasya (2015)
Let’s get it clear: detective films can’t stay away from Murder Mysteries. The quest to solve a weird murder case with a plot twist is something that audiences can easily understand. So, one such film was Rahasya.
Although an offbeat film where a CBI officer is responsible for the investigation of a Murder, the film plot is not as simple as it may seem.
It was a high-profile murder case where a father was charged with the murder of his 18-year-old daughter. His wife also felt that her husband was the murderer until the investigation began.
Once the loose ends became increasingly entangled with the mystery, making it stranger. As the title goes, ‘rahasya’ or the secret behind the murder was a suspense saved by the makers for the climax that shook the audience completely.
Summing Up,
Thrill, mystery, and interesting Detective characters make a good plot for a much-loved Film. Although Bollywood has not been able to remain consistent or popularise the Detective Genre, it has managed to create a space for this genre among the audiences. Also, the films listed above are an ideal testimony to it.
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