Cultural Correspondent
Jaya Ahsan is now set to revive the first female serial killer in India. Named Troilokya this lady roamed the streets of West Bengal in the late 1800s to switch from one crime to another for livelihood before finally turning to a chain of murders. Tollywood filmmaker Arindam Sil would direct the film on her titled after her very name. Arindam Sil is the very director who introduced Joya to Tollywood with his film ‘Abarta’. Tota Rai Chowdhury would star opposite Jaya in ‘Troilokya.’ The film would hit shooting floors before Durga Puja festival.
Troilokya is a famed named in Kolkata’s history as she has earned fame not only as the first notorious mass-murderess in India but probably in the entire world. She conducted her daring exploits even seven years before Jack the Ripper of London started his brutalities. Her accounts were recorded by police detective, Priyanath Mukhopadhyay from probably the first Calcutta Police Department. Priyanath tracked her down and ensured her conviction and eventual hanging. The new film would frame the exploits of Troilokya and her lover and Priyanath’s ploys to track her down.
Troilokya’s story started when she did not even reach her teens. She was married off to a much elderly man according to Brahmin practice of the time and met him only once before his death. Though an unwanted widow, she was taken in by none other than a brothel recruiting lady pretending as a benefactress. Through her Troilokya met a young man and fell in love. Out of public shame prevalent at that time they eloped and settled in Kolkata. However to cater for the rising expenses her lover sold her in Sonagachi, a notorious red district of Kolkata. There she rose in ranks through her beauteous charms to acquire massive property in a short time. By this time she had fallen for another man, a married man named Kali Babu and after his wife’s death even adopted his son Hari. However due to her ageing beauty, repeated appearance of Kali Babu and expenses for the well-being of Hari, Troilokya and her newfound love started engaging using the brothel industry in different ways. As all these were proving risky overtime Kali Babu resorted to burglary and in his first attempt murdered a man, faced trial and was hanged.
