Bipasha Basu to make screen comeback with Hansal Mehta's project (Image Credits PTI)

Bipasha Basu is set to make her return to acting with Hansal Mehta’s upcoming crime thriller ‘Barabanki’. The actor has reportedly begun shooting for the series in Mumbai, marking her first major screen project in years. Based on retired IPS officer Aloke Lal’s book ‘The Barabanki Narcos: Busting India’s Most Notorious Drug Cartel’, the series is set against the backdrop of a real-life operation to dismantle a powerful opium cartel in Uttar Pradesh. The project also stars Sunny Kaushal and ‘Homebound’ actor Vishal Jethwa, although details about their respective characters are being kept under wraps.

Bipasha Basu begins shooting for ‘Barabanki’ in Mumbai

According to Mid Day, Bipasha began filming ‘Barabanki’ in Mumbai last month. The series marks her first collaboration with filmmaker Hansal Mehta and comes nearly six years after her OTT debut with the thriller ‘Dangerous’, which premiered in 2020. The crime thriller is adapted from ‘The Barabanki Narcos: Busting India’s Most Notorious Drug Cartel’, written by former IPS officer Aloke Lal. Set in 1984, the story follows Lal’s efforts to lead a large-scale operation against the opium trade in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki district. The report described the project as a “gripping, real-life, first-hand account” of an IPS officer and his team taking on powerful drug cartels. The series is co-produced by Prabhleen Kaur, who is known for ‘Made in India: The Titan Story’.

Bipasha Basu has a ‘powerful role’ in Hansal Mehta’s crime thriller

While details about Bipasha’s character remain closely guarded, the report indicates that she has a significant connection to the central protagonist. The that Bipasha has a deep personal connection with the lead character, and this marks her first time collaborating with Hansal Mehta. The actor reportedly gave her immediate approval after Mehta approached her with the project. The filmmaker had also been on Bipasha’s wish list, making the collaboration particularly significant for her. The report further claim that Bipasha will sport a distinct look in the series, one that is unlike her previous on-screen appearances.The show is also expected to explore the wider network that assisted Aloke Lal in his campaign against the drug cartels. This includes members of his trusted team as well as informers, including former addicts and small-time peddlers who played a role in helping authorities dismantle the cartel.

Who was Aloke Lal, the real-life inspiration behind ‘Barabanki’?

Aloke Lal served in public service for 37 years and eventually retired as a Director General of Police. His career included leading the operation against the Barabanki Narcotics Cartel as well as field operations against organised armed bandits in rural areas of Shahjahanpur. He also oversaw counter-militancy operations in Uttarakhand and documented several major investigations in his co-authored book ‘On the Trail of Thugs and Thieves’. ‘Barabanki’ draws from this chapter of Lal’s career, bringing the real-life operation against the drug cartel to the screen through a crime-drama format.

Bipasha Basu’s return comes after years away from the screen

Bipasha’s return to acting comes after a prolonged break from the screen following the birth of her daughter Devi in 2022. Her last feature film was ‘Alone’, which released in 2015, while her most recent screen project was the OTT thriller ‘Dangerous’ in 2020. The actor has continued to remain active in the public eye through brand commitments, social media and appearances, even as she largely stepped away from acting.Her return has gained additional attention following her recent candid comments about the scrutiny she faced after becoming a mother. In a recent interview with Elle India, Bipasha spoke about the “major trolling” and body-shaming she experienced after Devi’s birth, criticising the expectation that women should immediately return to their pre-pregnancy bodies. She also recalled insensitive behaviour from paparazzi and said the broader conversation around women’s bodies remains problematic.