Mumbai: Bipasha Basu is set to return to acting after several years away from the screen. The actor has reportedly begun shooting for filmmaker Hansal Mehta’s upcoming crime thriller series Barabanki, which is set in 1984 and inspired by retired IPS officer Aloke Lal’s book The Barabanki Narcos: Busting India’s Most Notorious Drug Cartel.
The project marks Bipasha’s first collaboration with Mehta and is based on a real-life operation against one of the most notorious drug cartels operating in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki district.
Bipasha begins shooting for crime thriller
According to a report by Mid-Day, Bipasha started shooting for Barabanki in Mumbai last month. The series is described as a first-hand account of an IPS officer and his team as they take on an influential drug cartel and attempt to dismantle its operations.
The actor’s character details are currently being kept under wraps. However, reports suggest that her role will have a strong connection with the protagonist.
Bipasha is said to have agreed to join the project soon after Mehta approached her. The collaboration is particularly significant as the filmmaker had reportedly been on the actor’s wish list of directors she wanted to work with.
The series will also feature Sunny Kaushal and Homebound actor Vishal Jethwa in prominent roles. Details about their characters have also not been revealed.
Series inspired by real-life narcotics operation
Barabanki draws from the work of Aloke Lal, who led an operation to dismantle a major opium cartel in Uttar Pradesh.
The story is expected to explore not only the police operation against the cartel but also the wider network that supported Lal and his team during their campaign.
The series will reportedly focus on the challenges faced by law enforcement while taking on powerful criminal networks, along with the personal and professional relationships surrounding the central protagonist.
With its period setting and real-life inspiration, the project is expected to offer a different space for Bipasha from several of her earlier mainstream film roles.
Hansal Mehta and Bipasha collaborate for first time
The series is directed by Rensil D’Silva? No — Barabanki is being helmed by Hansal Mehta, marking his first collaboration with Bipasha Basu.
The project is co-produced by Prabhleen Kaur, known for Made in India: The Titan Story.
While the makers have kept several details about the characters and storyline under wraps, Bipasha is reportedly set to sport a distinct look for the series. Her appearance is expected to be different from some of her previous on-screen roles.
The casting and period setting have generated interest around the project, particularly because the story is rooted in an actual police operation and the actor is returning to acting after an extended break.
Who is Aloke Lal?
Aloke Lal spent 37 years in public service before retiring as the Director General of Police.
During his career, Lal played a significant role in the operation to dismantle the Barabanki Narcotics Cartel. He also led field operations against organised armed bandits in rural Shahjahanpur and was involved in overseeing counter-militancy operations in Uttarakhand.
Lal has documented several of his professional experiences in his co-authored book On the Trail of Thugs and Thieves. The book covers eight major burglary investigations from his career.
His experiences form the foundation for The Barabanki Narcos, which in turn has inspired the upcoming series.
Bipasha’s return to acting
Bipasha Basu has been associated with several popular Hindi films, including Raaz, Jism, Dhoom 2, No Entry, Ajnabee and Omkara.
Her last feature film was Alone, which released in 2015. She subsequently made her OTT debut with the thriller Dangerous in 2020.
Since then, Bipasha has largely stayed away from acting projects. She welcomed her daughter, Devi, in 2022, and has since maintained a relatively low profile on the acting front.
Her return with Barabanki therefore marks a significant new phase in her career. Rather than returning with a conventional commercial film, the actor is choosing a crime thriller rooted in a real-life story and featuring a complex period setting.
With filming already underway and the makers continuing to keep the characters closely guarded, further details about the series are expected to emerge as production progresses.