The Unexpected Murder Mystery That's Heating Up On Netflix
If you're wondering why everyone is suddenly talking about 2016's The Girl on the Train — they're not. The film, which is based on Paula Hawkins' bestselling novel of the same name, has been remade for a Hindi audience, and the 2021 version of The Girl on the Train is generating major buzz on Netflix.
The movie is set in London, but it features a cast of predominantly Indian actors, including Bollywood star (and Priyanka Chopra's cousin) Parineeti Chopra as Mira. Each day, Mira travels on the same train, where she becomes fixated on a woman whose life reminds her of her own before a tragedy sent her into a downward spiral. With her marriage decimated, her job on the line, and a growing dependence on alcohol leaving her with little else to focus on, her obsession with the mysterious woman on her train route spins out of control when she is implicated in the stranger's murder.
Add in a dash of amnesia and subplot involving a conspiracy related to Mira's work, and you have all the ingredients necessary for a riveting thriller. Although, at times it does feel like The Girl on the Train is trying to do a little bit too much at once. Thankfully, even when the plot becomes convoluted, Chopra keeps the movie on track by imbuing Mira's journey with an inescapable sense of urgency.
Netflix's The Girl on the Train sets itself apart from the 2016 blockbuster starring Emily Blunt
Even if you've already read the book and watched the 2016 film starring Emily Blunt, the latest adaptation of The Girl on the Train is well worth checking out. For one thing, the movie doesn't concern itself with sticking to the twists and turns of the novel. Instead, it's very much its own story, which was by design, according to Chopra.
"Our film is an adaptation of the book and original film but [director] Ribhu Dasgupta has completely adapted it for our Hindi audience and written it in a way where he thinks it will be better, interesting and more engaging for our audience," the actress told Outlook India. "I can also go as far as saying that it is very different from the original. It is almost like an original film."
Chopra's not exaggerating about the movie basically being an original film. While the setup is the same, everything from the main character's profession to the ending has been changed. That makes The Girl on the Train an unpredictable (albeit a bit uneven) ride, even if you've boarded this particular train before.