With Ab Tak Chappan 2’s recent release, Pandolin puts a spin on what makes crime thrillers tick.

There are drug addicts, caffeine addicts, alcoholics and nymphomaniacs. All of them addicts. All of them wanting more of what makes them tick. Then there are some that are totally addicted to movies that give them the creeps, make them stay at the edge of their seats and provide a thrilling mental stimulation. Crime thrillers as a genre have a rich history. Alfred Hitchcock’s movies, for instance, will never stop amazing you. Others that come to mind include the psychological crime thriller The Silence Of The Lambs or the final scene from the Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman starrer Seven. There is a long line of very fine crime thrillers that give you the chills and also make you an addict craving for complex crime scenes and unfathomable suspenses.

While Hollywood proved it’s technique and skill for churning out some of the most memorable crime thrillers, Bollywood has it’s very own fine collection. Sticking with the flavour, the socio-political atmosphere and the general pace of this country, these are also films that give the viewer a sense of what India is all about. The horror factor here is the sheer intensity of people’s lives and the secrets that small alleys and shattered shanties hold. Satya, Shaitan, Omkara, Vaastav, Ab Tak Chappan and Company are a few of Bollywood’s successful and well – represented crime thrillers. All these movies comprise the deadliest things people can do when an awful situation unfolds in its full glory.

So what is it that makes a crime-thriller tick? The common element in all of these being the factor of ‘suspense’ and the ‘unpredictability of what can happen in the next moment. Another significant question is whether other elements such as the star cast affect how well these movies do at the box office? While the names may be a tease to get people to watch the films, it’s doesn’t always guarantee an impact on the viewer’s memory. You may not remember the Aamir Khan starrer Talaash because of the lack of effect it had on you when you left the movie hall but a smaller movie such as Shaitan did justice to creating the right kind of mix for your mind with the the right star cast, camera work, captivating plot and attention to detail.

Vishal Bhardwaj’s Maqbool an adaptation of Shakespear’s Macbeth was released to rave reviews with critics and viewers agreeing to the magnificence of the movie. The lust for power and passion drives the film with nuanced acting and a brilliant plot build up. Ram Gopal Varma’s Company exposes the interplay of underground and illegal dealings that form a web, destroying and building balance. And there are several other such intriguing tales of crime.

Below are 5 picks by Pandolin dedicated to the release of Ab Tak Chappan 2:

Satya: With a powerful narrative, well – sculpted and well – executed characters, this film will always remain at the top of the list.

Vaastav: This movie has all the stereotypical elements of a Bollywood film but is driven by it’s gripping story.

Omkara: It’s poetic, potent, constrained, shocking and fearful.

Shaitan: The effortlessness of how the film moves from free-flow to dangerous twists and turns that keep you engaged right till the end, makes it memorable.

Gangs of Wasseypur: The movie gained iconic proportions owing to its spot-on characterisation, cutting-edge dialogues and realistic portrayal of crime prevalent in parts of our country.

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