A dapper criminal cradles a senseless cop and smiles for the camera. In the next frame, he whips out a gun and points it to the cop's temple, smile unchanged.
Main Aur Charles, a film on legendary serial killer of the 1970s Charles Sobhraj whose promos have enough shock value to keep viewers riveted, will release this Friday.
Its director, 39-year-old Prawaal Raman, a Loyola School alumnus from Jamshedpur and the maker of noir films such as Darna Mana Hai, is keeping fingers crossed for the film to be both critically and commercially successful.
Starring Randeep Hooda, who looks perfect for the role, Richa Chaddha and Tisca Chopra, the film narrates how the lives of seven people change after meeting Charles Sobhraj, a serial killer and con man in the 1970s.
Of mixed Indian and Vietnamese origin, Charles, also known as the 'Splitting Killer' and 'The Serpent' for his ability to impersonate and slither out of the long arms of the law, used to zero in on western tourists in the 1970s, allegedly committing at least 12 murders.
Stylish, extremely charming to women and presenting a cultured persona to the world, Charles had become a notorious celebrity as much for his crimes as for his glamorous lifestyle.
Raman's film produced by Cynosure Networkz and Wave Cinema, is "not a biopic on Charles", said the director. The film highlights Charles' jailbreak from Tihar in 1986, his 10th year of incarceration, when he threw a party for prison guards and inmates, drugged them to sleep and walked out.
"I chose a character like Charles Sobhraj because he is enigmatic despite his negative side. Yes, the film is on crime but I have balanced it and have not by any means glamorised it. I have never been into movies that have a lot of songs and dances," Raman told The Telegraph over phone from Mumbai.
He added: "I believe that the audience will have an interesting time. The thriller has a screenplay that if people do not understand it once, they will yearn to watch again."
Loyola boy Prawaal left Jamshedpur in the mid-1990s to pursue geography honours at Kirorimal College, New Delhi. His art classes as a schoolboy at Tagore School of Fine Arts in Sakchi came handy in Delhi, when he painted and sold portraits "for some quick cash". Later, he completed his post-graduation in film direction and production from St Xavier's College, Mumbai.
Maintaining close ties with his hometown, Raman also initiated a campaign against suicides in Jamshedpur as well. In December 2012, he started a suicide prevention campaign with celebrities like Rahul Bose, Nishikant Kamat and others.
What's next? "A film on Jamshedpur's very own supercop," said Raman, speaking on former MP Dr Ajoy Kumar, who had brought organised crime to its knees during his tenure as a young policeman over two decades ago. "Production of the film is complete and is slated for next year's release," Raman said.
