Perpetrators are mostly male': Konkona Sen Sharma on the unusual premise of Pratibha Ranta starrer queer thriller 'Accused'

Acclaimed actors Pratibha Ranta and Konkona Sen Sharma are set to headline ‘Accused’, an upcoming queer psychological thriller on Netflix directed by Anubhuti Kashyap. The film delves into the consequences of sexual misconduct allegations against a female surgeon, a perspective rarely examined on screen. Scheduled for release on February 27, the project promises an unsettling yet thought-provoking narrative that challenges conventional portrayals of power and guilt. Both actors have now revealed what drew them to such a complex story. In an interview with ANI, Konkona shared that the premise immediately stood out for its rarity. She explained that stories in which a woman is the accused, rather than the victim, are seldom discussed, making the role especially compelling. “When I got the offer, I was very excited. We have never heard of a case where the accused is a woman, since the perpetrators are mostly male,” she said. Her curiosity deepened after learning that the narrative was rooted in documented real-world cases. Konkona added that the creators relied heavily on international research to shape the script. “I think there is a lot of documentation in the US and the UK. They wrote the script based on that research. I found it very unusual,” she noted, underlining how authenticity informed the film’s tone. The approach aims to ground the psychological drama in reality rather than sensationalism. By drawing from documented incidents, the film seeks to provoke conversation around gender, accountability, and perception.Pratibha Ranta revealed that her entry into the project began with only two audition scenes. “I read them, and those scenes interested me a lot. I had never read anything like this before. Ma'am saw my audition. She liked it,” she said, recalling her first interaction with the material. The unfamiliarity of the narrative convinced her that the project was worth pursuing.Interestingly, Pratibha disclosed that there was no complete script at the outset. Instead, the team collaboratively developed the story over several months, beginning with a single provocative concept. “I had never heard of a story where a woman is accused of sexual harassment at work. I really liked this idea… We wrote the script for six to eight months. We created the script. It started from that idea,” she explained. This organic writing process, she suggested, allowed the film to evolve into a layered exploration of power, morality, and psychological fallout.