I will go with Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl. In the story, Amy, or Amazing Amy (Rosamund Pike) is a celebrity children’s book author who is swept off her feet by a lesser-known journalist Nicholas Dunne (Ben Affleck). Some years after their marriage, both lose their jobs but Amy bails Nick out every time. However, when Amy sees Nick having an affair with a much younger girl, she devises an elaborate plan to teach him a lesson, fakes her death and wants to have Nick hanged for murder.
Things don’t go as planned for Amy as she is mugged in a motel and has to find refuge with her high-school sweetheart who is a billionaire now and plans to keep her captive. The only way out is murder. Nick and Amy unite and the world heaves a sigh of relief, except for the couple. Both know that the other is held hostage. Released in 2014, Gone Girl still messes with your sensibilities. It is truly a mind-bending thriller.
The other one is the adaptation of my all-time favourite author Jack London’s Call of the Wild (1903). The story begins with the disappearance of a remarkable dog in the wild snowbound regions of Klondike, Alaska. There is betrayal and loyalty in the harsh, natural and man-made jungles. No other book/movie has ever covered the legend of the Klondike gold rush in this way. A must-read/ watch for all thrill seekers. It has been adapted thrice into movies, in 1935, 2002 and 2020, and that makes it a truly timeless masterpiece. The 2020 adaptation is very close to the original story. Directed by Chris Sanders, with Harrison Ford in the lead, and, of course, the beloved husky Buck. (Which is your favourite book to film thriller adaptation... September 20) Pampa Paul
My favourite book-to-film thriller adaptation is Vishal Bhardwaj’s edgy and captivating film 7 Khoon Maaf (2011). Based on Ruskin Bond’s book Susanna’s Seven Husbands, this film stars Priyanka Chopra as the irresistibly charming protagonist determined to go to unbelievable lengths to find her ‘perfect’ love. While the central idea of the film revolves around the life of Susanna, the plot also unveils some unsettling revelations stirring up curiosity.
Apart from the engaging narrative, the film is also rich in literary devices such as allegory which is employed to strike at the human tendency to commit immoral actions and which brings about their tragic end. In short, the film maintains a perfect balance of thrill and revelry. Vishal Bhardwaj brings his vision to the screen artistically with the help of his proficient cast, who deliver dazzling performances. A special mention to Usha Uthup’s Darling which continues to rule every music buff’s playlist as a lively, foottapping party anthem. Aayman Anwar Ali
My favourite thriller that triumphantly transitioned from a book to a film is The Silence of the Lambs (1991). Directed by Jonathan Demme, the film adaptation of Thomas Harris’s novel of the same name, published in 1988, does a bang-up job to Hannibal Lecter, the genius but psychotic psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer. As much as the book is critically acclaimed for its intense and unnerving storytelling, the performances of Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling and Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter are remarkably iconic. The Silence of the Lambs weaves Hitchcockian suspense around the relationship between Starling and Dr Lecter from beginning to end, attesting to the fact that without the bizarre halo of this dangerously brilliant man, Clarice’s quest to capture another serial killer named Buffalo Bill, who skins his victims, will remain unaccomplished. Both Harris’s novel and Demme’s film have left a significant impact on the thriller genre and are considered timeless classics in their respective mediums. Camellia Paul
My favourite film thriller adaptation is Satyajit Ray’s Joy Baba Felunath, based on his own book. In this exciting film, two scenes are most thrilling. Maganlal Meghraj had compelled Jatayu to be a participant in a show where one of his henchmen exhibited his accuracy in knifethrowing skills. The scene was shot with such impeccable authenticity and conviction that even the spectators shuddered and missed a few heartbeats. Following the act, Jatayu fainted and collapsed. Any person in the world would have similarly fainted... some may have suffered a heart attack as well. But only a few could have acted as bravely as Jatayu did, and by doing so, he encouraged Feluda to carry on his mission of searching for the stolen Ganesh idol by pooh-poohing all threats to his own life!
The other, of course, is the penultimate episode of the film. On the ghats of Varanasi, suddenly the bearded Machli Baba (Feluda in disguise sporting the dress of the fake sadhu) pointed a revolver towards Meghraj and jumped up from his meditating posture. Thereafter, in a calm and cool manner, he took revenge for the insult heaped upon him and Jatayu by showering bullets around the villain cornered against a wall! Kajal Chatterjee
My favourite book-to-film thriller adaptation is the Uttam Kumar 1967 Bengali film Chiriyakhana, directed by Satyajit Ray. The movie was based on a fantastic story with an intriguing plot and many interesting characters, written by renowned Bengali author Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. I just love watching this National Award-winning Byomkesh Bakshi movie, which revolves around the murder of a retired sessions judge named Nishanath Sen, and how Satyanweshi Byomkesh Bakshi solves the complex mystery behind the crime. Mahanayak Uttam Kumar’s excellent acting as Byomkesh Bakshi is really a treat to watch. Till date, I have watched this edge-of-the-seat detective thriller uncountable number of times. Sourish Misra
