The crimes are bigger and bloodier in Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders, and the motives even messier; but at its core, the film is a hollow reproduction of its genre predecessors, a familiar formula traced into an inferior product. By Karan Madhok

What’s The Chakkar? Episode 1: We’re listening to Khwaab; watching Mirzapur and Raat Akeli Hai; reading Nisha Susan, Tara Westover, Isabel Wilkerson, and Frank Herbert. Featuring Ady Manral, Kanika Jain, and Prateek Santram. Hosted by Karan Madhok