Abhiroop Das
Helmed by Honey Trehan, Netflix’s ‘Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders‘ or ‘The Night Is Lonely: The Bansal Murders,’ follows Inspector Jatil Yadav as he takes on the most labyrinthine case of his career thus far. When the wealthy Bansal family reports mysterious activities in and around their house, Jatil looks at every possible angle, including the ones concerning their popular newspaper company, Prabhat Manthan. Before Jatil can process things any further, he is hit by a shocking development, as members of the Bansal family are massacred in a single night.
With only a handful of survivors and a house full of contradictions, Jatil has to figure out all the missing pieces of the investigation to get to the truth. In this Hindi crime thriller movie, which serves as a sequel to ‘Raat Akeli Hai’, both Prabhat Manthan and its rival television news company, Newrise TV, shape huge chunks of the mystery. However, the most important discovery Jatil makes is that of Baxim Polymers, a chemical plant with many secrets buried inside it. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Prabhat Manthan and Newrise TV Are Fictional Media Giants at Odd With Each Other
Prabhat Manthan is a fictional newspaper company created by writer Smita Singh specifically for the narrative of ‘Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders.’ Owned by the Bansal family, the company is central to the murder mystery in many ways, as it also contextualizes the movie’s commentary on sincerity in journalism. While several large-scale newspaper companies in India are family-owned, it is unlikely that any particular paper served as the inspiration for the on-screen company. Furthermore, the Bansal family’s murder is an invented plot beat, which further sets Prabhat Manthan apart from any potential real-life counterparts. Instead, it is more likely that the creators broadly referenced the basic structure and functioning of a newspaper company and then infused their creation with strong social commentary.
In a similar fashion, Newrise TV is a fictional television news company constructed by Smita Singh. Owned by the Bansals, the company serves as an antagonistic force in the movie and even comes under investigation for the Bansal family murders. Given the specific context surrounding it, the company is unlikely to have a basis in reality. Instead, it is probable that Newrise was designed from scratch to critique aspects such as consumerist culture and online misinformation. Additionally, as a crafted addition to the plot, the TV company also speaks to the differences between print and digital media, and the different approaches they have to coverage and presentation of news.
Baxim Polymers’ Role in the Movie Might be Partially Based on a Real Industrial Accident
While Prabhat Manthan and Newrise TV are wholly invented creations of the movie’s writing team, Baxim Polymers, a chemical plant situated in an informal settlement, bears loose parallels to real life. It is possible that the creators drew inspiration from the real-life Visakhapatnam gas leak incident, which occurred on May 7, 2020, at the LG Polymers chemical plant in R. R. Venkatapuram village, near Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Reportedly, the accident took 13 lives, and more than 1000 people got sick due to exposure to toxic gas. In the movie, Baxim Polymers is responsible for a gas leak at a school, taking the lives of at least nine children and permanently affecting several others. While the names of the two companies are indeed similar, the other major differences indicate that the connection is likely only superficial in nature.
The LG Polymers plant near Visakhapatnam was originally built in 1961 and named Hindustan Polymers. From there, it was acquired by a South Korean company named LG Chem in 1997. The plant manufactured a variety of chemical compounds, including those used in the production of engineering plastics. As per reports, on May 7, 2020, an accident took place due to the improper storage of a compound known as Styrene, which had been left unattended during the COVID-19 lockdowns. It is claimed that a glitch in the computer systems allowed the temperatures in the storage tanks to rise above the safety level, resulting in the vaporization of Styrene. Then, during a maintenance session, it is believed that the gas leaked. The fumes spread about 2 miles, and nearby villages were amongst the most affected regions.
As a part of the rescue operation, about 250 families were evacuated from a 3-mile radius, and about 500 people were hospitalized. The tragedy shook the nation to its core and called for increased awareness about industrial security hazards. In ‘Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders,’ the fictional Baxim Polymers is briefly referred to as a Korean plant, which does strengthen its parallels with LG Polymers. However, how the event unfolds in the movie has significant differences from real life and was likely written from scratch. As of writing, the creators have not confirmed any intentional overlaps with the Visakhapatnam gas leak, which leaves the connection firmly within the realm of speculation.
Read More: Is Raat Akeli Hai The Bansal Murders Based on a True Story?
