Before Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders - Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Inspector Jatil Yadav's first case unpacked—twisted secrets and unholy truth of Raat Akeli Hai
The sequel to Raat Akeli Hai arrives December 19, 2025. Here’s a look at the original 2020 film: Inspector Jatil Yadav investigates the murder of patriarch Raghuveer Singh.
Last Updated: 04.46 PM, Dec 14, 2025
The sequel to the crime drama Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders will be available on Netflix on December 19, 2025; therefore, it's important to go back to the intricate investigation that introduced viewers to the formidable Inspector Jatil Yadav. The murder of a powerful patriarch in 2020's Raat Akeli Hai set the stage for a web of social dynamics, familial secrets, and systemic corruption in a small village in India.
Five-year-old catalyst crime
A distinct violent crime takes place five years before the main murder. A truck rams a car deliberately, killing everyone inside. The murderer then takes the female passenger and driver and violently disposes of their bodies in acid at a nearby factory. In the course of this, the murderer's hand is burnt. Unrelated as it may appear at first, this startling opening sequence lays the groundwork for the main inquiry.
Inspector Jatil Yadav, played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui, is a committed but awkward police officer whose mother, Sarita Kumari, played by Ila Arun, tries to arrange his marriage nonstop. On the night of Jatil's wedding in Kanpur, his private life is shattered when his SSP (played by Tigmanshu Dhulia) summons him to look into the murder of the affluent nobleman Raghuveer Singh (Khalid Tyabji).
Crime scene and the suspect family
At the Singh family manor, Raghuveer shot himself with his gun; here is the site of the crime. Silence and evasion characterise the family's initial response, which prompts Jatil to suspect foul play. We see the family unit as a complex network of interdependent ties and self-serving interests:
The Deceased: Raghuveer Singh, the patriarch, murdered hours after his wedding.
The Family: His two children, Karuna Singh (Shweta Tripathi) and Karan; his sister-in-law Pramila Singh (Padmavati Rao) and her children, Vasudha (Shivani Raghuvanshi) and Vikram Singh (Nishant Dahiya); Karuna's volatile husband, Ravi Sisodia (Gyanendra Tripathi); and the new, young widow, Radha (Radhika Apte).
Key Witnesses: Ramesh Chauhan (Swanand Kirkire), brother of Raghuveer's first, late wife; and Chunni (Riya Shukla), the household maid.
Initial questioning
Vikram Singh, the first person to 'find' the body, is the primary target of initial questioning. Jatil examines his schedule and finds a wedding procession (baraat) passing at 10:30 PM in addition to his departure from his MLA-daughter fiancée (Munna Raja's daughter) at 9:30 PM, return at 11:15 PM, and the women's journey to the temple at 12:30 AM. As part of his inquiry, Jatil found a set of concealed steps in the house's back that led to a water tank, which could indicate an underground passageway.
The family treats the young bride, Radha, with open animosity, as if trying to cast her as the perpetrator or a handy scapegoat; Jatil's keen senses cause him to focus his attention on her. By remembering a suicide attempt that Radha had five years ago, Jatil discovers a past link to her. Given their long history together, her family's manipulative dynamics lead him to believe she is innocent and emotionally vulnerable.
Raghuveer’s secret life
An examination of Raghuveer's background reveals that he was associated with the local member of parliament, Munna Raja (Aditya Srivastava), and that his son Karan was apprehended for narcotics possession on multiple occasions. Jatil discovers a hidden stash in Raghuveer's cupboard containing erotic magazines and photos of women, including a picture of a bruised Radha, along with a plastic bead found under the bed. After her father sells her, Radha stays quiet at first.
Between the hours of 10:00 PM and 12:00 AM, Raghuveer was shot dead with his gun, according to forensics. He also suffered blunt force damage from the butt of the weapon. At 11:30 PM, Vikram's uncle called, and additional calls came in from Radha's unknown number, according to the phone records. Neither the murder weapon nor Raghuveer's phone has any fingerprints on it.
Tracing the five-year-old murder case
In his dogged quest for information, Jatil finds himself transported back in time five years. The senile, ex-maid's connection to the previous murder adds an extra layer of intrigue. The driver, her son, met his demise alongside Raghuveer's first wife. According to Jatil, the five-year-old case involving Raghuveer's first wife was dismissed as a hit-and-run robbery that occurred between Gwalior and Kanpur. Based on information on a matching vehicle, he determines that the incident took place at a butcher shop in Jajmau that had been owned by MLA Munna Raja.
The discovery of a medical report and later the body of the maid, Chunni, near the rear stairs intensifies the investigation. Goons' attacks on Jatil reveal the involvement of powerful foreign forces. His coworker Narendra Singh (Shree Dhar Dubey) initially hesitates to offer assistance. After Jatil gives Radha a warning, the two run out from the house, narrowly avoiding a train chase with the Butcher (Ravi Sah) and Munna Raja's henchmen.
Narendra’s breakthrough
Narendra's separate inquiry, which finds dead skin under Chunni's fingernails, suggests a suspect with burnt skin. Upon seeing the SSP meeting with Munna Raja and the Butcher—whose burnt hand is easily identifiable—he promptly alerts Jatil.
Jatil forces Radha to confess by presenting her with evidence—a dupatta in her purse that has the identical plastic bead discovered earlier. She comes clean about her affair with Vikram and their failed attempt to elope; Vikram instead married the daughter of an MLA. In her wrath, Radha summoned Vikram to face him. Vikram descended the rear staircase and came back. Just as Radha was about to reveal Raghuveer, the power went out. Raghuveer was already dead when the electricity came back on, and Chunni was there with a lamp. Before he left and returned by the main gate, Vikram framed the situation by telling Chunni to use Raghuveer's phone to dial his number to provide an alibi.
Uncovering the truth
After Jatil gets his hands on the medical record, he learns that Raghuveer's first wife had an abortion the day before she was murdered. Her brother Ramesh confirms that she was actually travelling from Gwalior by car, even though he was told she was on a train. Raghuveer's caretaker at the Gwalior farmhouse verifies that Raghuveer was directed by his late wife to notify her every time he introduced a new woman into his life. Searching the farmhouse reveals the identical erotic magazines, Polaroid camera, and boarding school insignia.
Heated argument reveals the truth
The First Murder: Raghuveer's first wife was murdered on the orders of Pramila Singh. The wife had discovered Raghuveer was sexually abusing Pramila's daughter, Vasudha, and impregnated her, necessitating the abortion. Pramila, fearful of being removed from the property, alerted Raghuveer's wife, feigning concern, and then leveraged the secret with Raghuveer to broker a deal for a larger share of the property for her son, Vikram. She ordered Munna Raja's butcher to carry out the murder.
The Second Murder (Chunni's Father): The driver killed in the initial crash was Chunni's father, whose missing person report and the lack of investigation were noted by the senile former maid (Chunni's grandmother).
Raghuveer's Bride (Radha): Radha was a victim of human trafficking, sold by her father and bought by MLA Munna Raja for Raghuveer's sexual pleasure.
The Third Murder (Raghuveer): Vasudha Singh killed her uncle, Raghuveer. When Vasudha confronted him with the truth about his abuse, he callously dismissed her and told her to kill herself. In a fit of rage, Vasudha grabbed his gun and shot him. The change of the dupatta to implicate Radha was Vasudha's attempt to protect herself.
Jatil’s ambush
Amidst the mayhem that ensues, Jatil arranges for Radha to surrender, but in the process, he ambushes Munna Raja's henchmen who have come to put an end to her. This leads to a gunfight and the Butcher's escape. Chunni's grandma sets the butcher on fire, seeking revenge for her son, the driver.
Pramila commits suicide as soon as the truth is out in an effort to avoid shame. Vasudha tells Jatil the truth at Pramila's funeral. Jatil takes a more private approach in the film's last act, meeting Radha on a train and quietly proposing to her that they spend the rest of their lives together; she accepts.
The sequel Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders
With Radha (Radhika Apte) as his wife, Inspector Jatil Yadav (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) returns to Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders with an emotional anchor to his intensely professional life. The original film's directors and writers—Honey Trehan and Smita Singh—are back for a new, harsher case in Kanpur.
The mass murder of the wealthy and famous Bansal family at their mansion presents Jatil Yadav with his most intricate and macabre investigation to date. It only takes one night to wipe out the whole family. One mysterious witness, Meera Bansal (Chitrangda Singh), has connections to a strong godwoman, Geeta Vora (Deepti Naval), and her cult members, adding another layer of complexity to the case. With the stakes far higher than previously, the investigation explores themes of mysticism, influence, blind faith, long-buried truths, and the corruption of conscience. In a political climate where expediency often takes precedence over truth, Jatil finds himself asking, "Who really cares about the truth?"
Returning and new ensemble cast
Siddiqui is back as the ruthless Inspector Jatil Yadav, this time with more experience under his belt. Apte is back as Radha, his wife and a rock of stability and support. Chitrangda Singh, Deepti Naval, Rajat Kapoor, Revathy, and Sanjay Kapoor are all part of the formidable ensemble cast that returns for the sequel, and they all contribute to the mystery in their own unique ways. His comic side narrative will continue with Ila Arun's return to the role of Jatil's mother.
Beyond the surface level of crime, the sequel promises a complex whodunit that explores the interplay of power, societal pressure, and the personal toll of fighting for justice in a system that is fundamentally broken.
Raat Akeli Hai FAQs:
Q: When does Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders premiere?
A: The sequel, Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders, is set to premiere on Netflix on December 19, 2025.
Q: Who is the cast of Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders?
A: Nawazuddin Siddiqui reprises his role as Inspector Jatil Yadav, and Radhika Apte returns as Radha, now Jatil's wife. The new ensemble cast for the sequel includes Chitrangda Singh, Deepti Naval, Rajat Kapoor, Revathy, and Sanjay Kapoor, among others.
Q: What is the new case in Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders?
A: The sequel centers on the mass murder of the influential Bansal family in their mansion. Inspector Jatil Yadav must investigate the gruesome crime, which is complicated by a sole survivor, Meera Bansal (Chitrangda Singh), and links to a powerful godwoman and her cult followers.