New Delhi: Serial killer Charles Shobhraj was in the news once again after two decades when he was released from a Nepal prison at the age of 78. He requires open-heart surgery, according to details of the verdict by Nepal’s Supreme Court. A four-page summary of the order states that Sobhraj’s habeas corpus petition for release from solitary detention was approved on humanitarian grounds following the filing of various arguments in his favour. Within the next 15 days, Sobhraj is anticipated to be deported to France, where he is a citizen.
It is not uncommon, the world over to make films and series based on the life of dreaded criminals whether dead or alive and so was the case with Charles Sobhraj who preyed on Western tourists throughout South East Asia during the 1970s. Here are some of the movies and series made based on his life:
Shadow Of The Cobra
A 1989 television mini-series based on the book ‘The Life and Crimes of Charles Sobhraj’ by Richard Neville and Julie Clarke, the series is a dramatisation of the story of the notorious serial killer.
Main Aur Charles
This is a 2015 Bollywood crime movie, based on Charles’ escape from Tihar Jail in New Delhi. In the film, the story is told from the perspective of Amod Kanth, an Indian cop who handled the investigation of the French serial killer, also known as the bikini killer. The film was written and directed by Prawaal Raman and produced by Cynozure Networkz and starred Randeep Hooda, Richa Chadda, Adil Hussain, Tisca Chopra, and Alexx O’Nell in lead roles. Randeep Hooda as Charles stood out for his acting.
The Serpent
This is an eight-part British crime drama series created in collaboration between Netflix and BBC One. It is based on Charles Sobhraj’s atrocities, who murdered young tourists between 1975 and 1976. Tahar Rahim plays the lead character of Sobhraj.
Sobhraj– Or How To Make Friends With A Serial Killer:
The film chronicles Sobhraj’s existence in Paris for seven years as a free man with a French passport, two wives, and two children. The film was hailed by viewers as the best documentary since it spoke to the appropriate people to reveal the true narrative. Jan Wellmaan and Anil Goel directed this feature-length documentary on Charles Sobhraj.
