How crime, policing, and evil shape Delhi | Rudraneil Sengupta on "The Beast Within"

In this episode of Frontline Conversations, writer and journalist Rudraneil Sengupta speaks about his debut crime novel, “The Beast Within”, a gritty, dark work of crime fiction set in Delhi. Drawing on years of crime reportage, Sengupta explains why fiction, rather than non-fiction, allowed him to capture the deeper truths of crime, policing, and the nature of evil. Sengupta discusses how his close access to police officers, crime branch officials, and legal processes shaped the novel’s meticulous attention to police and bureaucratic procedure. He explains how real cases, field experiences, and encounters were decontextualised and reimagined to build a fictional narrative grounded in reality. The conversation also explores character creation, particularly the moral complexity of police officers and the city of Delhi itself as a living, breathing presence in the novel. Highlights: -Why Rudraneil Sengupta turned from non-fiction to crime fiction -How real police work and case files shaped “The Beast Within” -Inside the bureaucratic realities of Indian policing -Blending real crimes with fictional storytelling -Crime novels as social histories of cities and cultures Perfect for those interested in: -Indian crime fiction and noir -Police procedure and legal realism in novels -Delhi as a literary and social landscape -Global traditions of crime writing Credits: Host: Suhrid Sankar Chattopadhyay Camera: Jayanta Shaw Editing: Razal Pareed Producers: Kavya Pradeep M and Mridula Vijayarangakumar Subscribe to Frontline: https://frontline.thehindu.com/online... Follow us on: Facebook - / frontlineindia Twitter - / frontline_india Instagram - / frontline.magazine LinkedIn - / frontline-magazine-b12921295