Writer Smita Singh has addressed long-standing comparisons between her Netflix filmRaat Akeli Haiand Hollywood hitKnives Out, stating that her story was written and registered years before the latter was released. The film, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Inspector Jatil Yadav, premiered in 2020 and sparked debate among viewers due to its familiar murder-mystery setup involving a wealthy family, a murdered patriarch, and buried secrets.
Speaking about the coincidence, Singh expressed frustration over the timing of the release. She revealed that the first draft ofRaat Akeli Haiwas written in 2013 and officially acquired in 2015, well beforeKnives Outarrived in theatres in 2019. Singh also noted that the project had travelled to the Sundance Film Festival during its development phase, where international filmmakers were exposed to the script.
Singh explained that early versions of her script shared even stronger similarities with the Hollywood film, including a poisoning angle involving the patriarch. However, she consciously removed that track from the final cut despite having already filmed it. “I just know that I wrote it first and registered it in 2013,” she said, emphasising that the overlap was purely coincidental.
Beyond the comparisons, Singh reflected on her approach to the murder-mystery genre. She believes such stories should go beyond identifying the killer and instead examine the social and emotional reasons behind the crime. According to her, reactions that reduce the narrative to predictability miss the point. “The question is not just who did it, but why it happened,” she explained.
Singh also argued that the genre cannot survive on formula alone in cinema. Citing the difficulty of adapting Agatha Christie’s novels for film, she stressed that murder mysteries must be layered with social context and emotional depth to resonate with modern audiences.
Looking ahead, Singh revealed that she plans to step away from writing whodunits after the upcoming sequel,Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders, scheduled for release in 2025. Calling the genre creatively demanding, she said the experience has led her to rethink her future storytelling choices.
