If there's a genre that's having a glorious moment, both in literature and in cinema; it's the thriller. The 2023 content universe is rife with terrifying twists and turns. Murder, betrayal, revenge, intrigue–all the ingredients that make for a satisfying suspense narrative, and, ideally, coming together in one mind-bending ending.
We surely have seen a meteoric rise in the genre — be it the stories of famous serial killers, assorted real-life conmen, heist series, or charming self-styled godmen doing not-so-good deeds — the output in the true-crime genre has only elevated upwards. But while we wrestle with the idea of ethics and morality, author Kanchana Banerjee believes viewers' interest in this genre is not a new phenomenon.
"I don’t think it’s a sudden interest, I just feel viewers did not have the opportunity to watch it so frequently on television sets before or at the click of a button. Not much was written earlier, but times are changing and people are not hesitant anymore to write about dark events. Audiences preferences have also evolved, they have choices now."
Banerjee, an ardent fan of writing and reading thrillers, admits her fascination with the darkness of mind and evil. Her latest book, Until I Find You, is a grim and brutal thriller amid the gloomy landscape of Rajasthan. It is inspired by the People's Temple mass suicide-murder which was led by their cult leader Jim Jones. The book will surely keep you engaged with a heady chase leading to a diabolical climax.
In an interview with SheThePeople, Banerjee spoke about the genesis of Until I Find You, her constant love for thrillers and the changing concepts of grey characters in pop culture.
Kanchana Banerjee Interview
Genesis of Until I Find You
In 2017-18, my husband and I took a road trip to Shekhawati. Rajasthan. We stayed in a remodelled haveli which is now a boutique property in a small village, that was this sleepy little, obscure town out of nowhere. It is surrounded by crumbling houses which are reminiscent of a very glorious past and sandy lanes. All this stuck in my head and I told myself that one day I am going to write a story which is set in this place. Hence, I was on the lookout for a suitable story ever since then.
Meanwhile, I am also very fond of surfing the net for court cases, and true-crime events and that’s when I came across this cult called People’s Temple which was founded by Jim Jones in 1964-65 in the US. He was some character, a huge political influencer. People’s Temple was initially based in California and because it began to draw so much negative press, and criticism for all the nonsense that they had been doing, Jones shited his entire cult to Guyana, Mexico. I was completely taken aback as I read about the Jonestown Massacre and how Jim Jones led the entire cult of almost 500-600 people to their deaths and also killed himself. They consumed a fruit drink laced with cyanide and died by suicide.
And this led me to think - what if the cult leader did not die and what if it was all just a ploy to escape? While I brought a couple of books on Jim Jones and how he influenced and mind-controlled so many people into joining his cult, I came upon another book by a survivor of the cult who escaped a year before mass suicide took place. This all set me thinking that what if along with the leader of the cult, there is also one survivor who manages to escape gruesome death. Hence, that is how the origin of the location and the story idea came together in merry.
On her love for thrillers
It might seem weird but I am very intrigued by the evil. What makes people evil, what makes people do nasty things to others, the wavering ethical moral compass that people have in them. I also like to explore the age-old question of whether evil is born or if evil is a product of circumstances. I enjoy reading, researching and building complex characters which are not all black or white but have shades of grey. So if you look at the books that I have written and the villains in them, they are not all black, they don’t have anything redeeming in them. For example, Kamini Pratap Singh in Nobody’s Child, while she is a very much dark character, she's also a loving mother and she comes from a place of love for her daughter Tanya.
Likewise, in Until I Find You, the cult leader is an evil person and has killed so many people, wants to get ahead in life but at the same time, there are some aspects of him which are that not bad. So this conundrum of what makes people do such ghastly things and create complex creators is what draws me to the thriller genre again and again.
On why grey shade characters are closer to reality
Earlier our stories were very simple and straightforward, there’s a hero who is almost like a god-like figure and there’s a villain who's the darkest possible guy ever. However, in recent times, we are coming to terms with not-so-good, not-so-happy and not-so-white aspects about ourselves. We are in touch with our inner-most feelings and often remind that it is okay to lose control, it is okay to not be okay. And this element is getting reflected in our stories and movies. We are bringing out complex characters which are somewhat closer to reality, and relatable to our lives. Think of it, are we good all the time? By being not good, I am not talking about killing someone, but we are telling ourselves and the younger generation that it is okay to feel sullen, to feel lesser than who you are.
On her creative process
A lot of thinking, planning, plotting, reading. I read a lot of international thrillers. You have to develop the knack of creating this suspense in your work by reading, thinking and also thinking of yourself as a reader. I believe that you are the first reader of your own work and if you are not intrigued or anxious about the story, you will not be able to create that sense of suspense in your work. There is no magic formula, but a lot of thinking and reading, and mind-mapping definitely works.
Advice for young readers
Read a lot, write a lot, hone your craft and never shy away from experimenting when it comes to writing.
Suggested Reading: Why I Write: It Is The Most Important Thing I’ve Done For Myself
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