A murder, a trail of buried secrets and two detectives at the centre of an investigation set the tone for Rohosyo, now streaming on YouTube. Directed by Sayan Basu Chowdhury, the film unfolds amid the grandeur of a zamindar estate, where family hierarchies, privilege and a complicated past add layers to the mystery.
At the heart of the narrative are Atasi (Shyamoupti Mudly) and Athora (Srotyaswini Chatterjee), two detectives whose instincts and investigative approaches shape the search for the truth. Blending the intrigue of a murder mystery with an exploration of the secrets that lie beneath appearances, Rohosyo also brings a female-led dynamic to the genre. In a chat with t2, Sayan Basu Chowdhury discusses the story’s origins, the creation of its atmospheric world, the casting process and the challenges of keeping viewers guessing.
What was the starting point of the story, and what drew you to this particular setting for a murder mystery?
The starting point of Rohosyo was my fascination with old zamindar houses and the secrets they seem to hold within their walls. There is something incredibly intriguing about these grand, beautiful spaces, where a rich history often exists alongside hidden tensions, complicated relationships, and buried truths.
I felt that a murder mystery set in such a house would offer a very interesting contrast between its grandeur and the darkness unfolding inside it. The house almost becomes a character in itself, with every room, every corridor, and every corner potentially holding a clue or concealing a secret.
What drew me to this setting was the opportunity to explore not just a murder, but the people and relationships behind it. I wanted the investigation to gradually peel away the layers of this seemingly respectable household and reveal that things are never quite what they appear to be. For me, that contrast between the elegance of the setting and the unsettling nature of the mystery became the foundation of Rohosyo.
(From left) Srotyaswini Chatterjee, Sayan Basu Chowdhury and Judhajit Sarkar
How does the setting become an integral part of the mystery rather than just a backdrop?
For me, the house in Rohosyo is much more than just a backdrop. It is almost like a silent witness to everything that has happened within its walls over the years. The grandeur of the zamindar house represents its history, its legacy, and the family’s public image, while its hidden corners and closed rooms suggest everything that has been kept secret.
As the investigation progresses, the house gradually reveals different layers of the story. The architecture, the atmosphere, and even the sense of isolation become part of the mystery. I wanted the audience to feel that there is something about this house that they haven’t quite understood yet.
In a murder mystery, the setting can be as important as the characters because it influences what we see, what we don’t see, and what we begin to suspect. With Rohosyo, I wanted the audience to experience the house almost through the eyes of the investigators — to look beyond its beauty and slowly discover the darkness hidden beneath it.
The film brings two detectives into an ongoing murder investigation. What prompted you to centre the investigation around them, and how do their approaches to solving a case differ?
I was drawn to the idea of having two female detectives at the centre of Rohosyo because I felt it would bring an interesting dynamic to the investigation. I wanted the characters to be strong, intelligent, and driven by their own instincts, but also to have distinct personalities and ways of looking at the world. Their gender is not the mystery-solving device; what matters is how they think, observe, and interpret the people around them.
The two detectives complement each other. One is more methodical and analytical, someone who pays close attention to details, evidence, and inconsistencies. The other is more intuitive and perceptive about human behaviour, someone who can sense when a person is hiding something and look beyond what is being said.
What I found interesting was how their different approaches could sometimes lead to disagreements, but ultimately help them see the case from different angles. In a house where everyone seems to have something to hide, I felt that having two investigators with contrasting sensibilities would make the investigation more layered and engaging. Their partnership is as much about understanding each other as it is about understanding the crime.
Atasi, played by Shyamoupti Mudly, and Athora, played by Srotyaswini Chatterjee, are central to the investigation. How would you describe their personalities, investigative styles and dynamic?
Atasi and Athora are two very different personalities, and that contrast is what makes their partnership interesting. Atasi, played by Shyamoupti Mudly, is sharp, observant, and quite instinctive in the way she approaches people. She has a strong sense of intuition and often looks beyond what a person is saying to understand what they might be hiding. Athora, played by Srotyaswini Chatterjee, brings a more composed and analytical approach to the investigation. She pays attention to details, inconsistencies, and evidence, and prefers to build her conclusions carefully.
What I really enjoyed exploring was the chemistry between these two characters. They don’t necessarily see things the same way, and their differences sometimes lead to disagreements, but those disagreements also help them uncover things they might have otherwise missed. They challenge each other’s assumptions and bring different perspectives to the same mystery.
For me, Atasi and Athora are not just two detectives solving a murder. They are two individuals with distinct personalities learning to work together in a situation where almost everyone around them has something to conceal. And I think that makes their dynamic an important part of the storytelling in Rohosyo.
How did Shyamoupti and Srotyaswini interpret their characters, and did their performances bring anything unexpected to the roles?
Working with Shyamoupti and Srotyaswini was a very enriching experience because both of them brought their own understanding and sensibilities to Atasi and Athora. As a director, I had a certain vision of these characters, but I always believe that an actor’s interpretation can add dimensions that you may not have initially imagined.
Shyamoupti brought a wonderful sharpness and spontaneity to Atasi. There is an alertness in her performance, and I really liked the way she could communicate a character’s thought process through subtle expressions and reactions. Srotyaswini, on the other hand, brought a certain composure and depth to Athora. She understood the character’s more measured approach and gave her a quiet confidence that I found very effective.
What was particularly interesting was how their individual performances came together. Their chemistry developed through the way they reacted to each other, sometimes through a disagreement, sometimes through a small gesture or an unspoken understanding. Those moments gave their partnership a natural quality.
A zamindar house carries associations of privilege, power, family hierarchies and a complicated past. How have you used these elements to build tension?
The zamindar house in Rohosyo is more than a setting; it represents power, privilege, and a complicated past. I wanted to explore the contrast between its grandeur and the secrets hidden within its walls. Family hierarchies, buried truths, and conflicting loyalties gradually create tension as the investigation unfolds. The house becomes a space where appearances are deceptive, and the past refuses to remain buried.
Judhajit Sarkar plays Raj, the son of the zamindar family and Atasi’s love interest. His character occupies an interesting position in the story because he is not just connected to the family at the centre of the murder investigation, but also shares a personal relationship with one of the investigators.
That creates an emotional layer to the mystery. Raj’s relationship with Atasi brings a different dimension to her investigation, while his position within the family makes him an important part of the unfolding story. Without revealing too much, I can say that his character adds complexity to the relationships inside the house, and the audience will have to look beyond appearances to understand where he truly stands.