The Buckingham Murders trailer is officially out and is already generating a significant buzz across the globe with over 6 million views on YouTube in less than 2 days.
The trailer, released on 3 September, oozes intrigue, suspense, and anticipation. It showcases Bollywood icon, Kareena Kapoor Khan in a role like we’ve never seen her in before.
Along with Kareena playing the lead, this mystery, thriller film directed by the award winning Hansal Mehta features an exceptional ensemble cast including iconic actors Ranveer Brar, Ash Tandon, and Keith Allen.
Kareena plays the role of Jasmeet ‘Jass’ Bhamra, a stern detective and grieving mother, who is haunted by the demons in her past yet determined to obtain justice to those who seek it.
The trailer wastes no time in propelling us straight into action. The first few seconds create a heightened environment, stepping away from the usual, jovial Bollywood style.
Enters Detective Jass Bhamra, interrogating suspects with a fierce intensity that leaves us wanting more. Her introductory line of questioning, “Where were you on the 14th of November?”, directed at her suspects, sets the cryptic tone for the rest of the trailer. This question is left hanging in the air and later repeated across the trailer, begging to be answered as we piece together the dramatic events unfolding before our eyes.
It is soon apparent that the backdrop of the film is based in the UK in Wycombe, with many British actors including Keith Allen, Jonathan Nyati, and Joel Morris appearing on our screens. This backdrop collides the two worlds of British and Asian as we witness communal tensions become heightened in this melting pot of culture.
The murder of a local, innocent, Sikh boy, Ishpreet Kohli, shakes these communities to their core. Detective Jass Bhamra, though new to the area, is of course on the case and determined to seek truth and justice for the young boy, his family, and his community.
However, this case is anything but straightforward and speaks heavily to the realities of being British-Asian in the UK. The trailer shows the significant divide this case causes between Sikh and Muslim communities in the UK, who have historically witnessed bloodshed at the hands of corruption and misinformation.
Consequently, we see how Jass’ introduction into this community and her new detective role is anything but smooth sailing. Whilst battling her own personal conflict as she grieves for the loss of her only son, she is shown to clash with her new work colleagues whose methods of handling such cases appear to be in stark contrast to hers. In one scene she is shown punching her fellow work colleague, Hardik Patel, played by Ash Tandon.
These personal battles coupled with the external pressures of this new case, create an incredibly complex character that Kareena takes on but appears to do so with ease.
The trailer showcases the ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ actress excel in this dramatic role as we see flashes of her internal conflict in tandem with the external pressures of this job.
As a character who has faced the loss of her only child, her decision to interrogate the young boy’s family in this case, is an extreme catalyst in this trailer. It speeds up not only the portentous music of the trailer but the course of action as we see flashes of the film flicker by, further piquing our interest as we get more involved in the course of events leading to Ishpreet’s murder.
Watching this trailer was comparable to piecing together a jigsaw puzzle that I never wanted to end. It left me with several questions which I am now dying to know the answer to!
Over a mere span of 2 minutes and 33 seconds, long held secrets are revealed, communities become fractured, innocence is lost and a complex web of intergenerational prejudices comes to the surface to mould this compelling trailer.
Following the success of ‘Veere Di Wedding’ and ‘Crew’, it is apparent that Kareena is set to make a massive comeback as both a leading actress and a producer.
Netizens across the world have already taken to social media to praise the actress and the trailer, admiring it’s visual effects, storyline, and dramatic performances.
It is safe to say that this film promises to leave us on the edge of our seats and we certainly can’t wait to watch it!
The Buckingham Murders will be released in cinemas exclusively on 13 September, 2024.
Watch the trailer here: