"Scandalous" : the arrival of Charles Sobhraj in 7 to 8 creates controversy

The public discovered or rediscovered its existence in the Netflix series The snake. For this fiction put online in 2021, the actor Tahar Rahim slipped into the skin of Charles Sobhraj, who has raged in Asia in the 1970s. Flanked by an accomplice and his Canadian companion, the one who pretended to be a gemstone dealer gave confidence to businessmen and Western tourists before drug them, rob them of their papers and kill some of them. Nicknamed “THE Snake“Because of his ability to manipulate his victims and evade justice, Charles Sobhraj was arrested in India in 1976 and there served a 21-year sentencebefore being sentenced to life in prison in 2003 in Nepal for the murders of an American tourist and a Canadian. But against all expectations, the Supreme Court of Nepal announced his release on December 21, citing health reasons. The 78 year old man suspected of having committed more than 20 murders, has since been transferred to France. Silent since his return to the country, Charles Sobhraj gave an exclusive interview to Audrey Crespo Marawhich will be broadcast this Sunday, February 5 in the show seven to eight, on TF1. A speech that already shocks Internet users.

“A madman who we will make a hero”

In an excerpt from the interview shared by the channel on social networks, Charles Sobhraj details his modus operandi, which allowed him to manipulate his victims before stealing their money, passport or other personal effects. A behavior that he claims to have had about 150 times. However, the Serpent refuses the label of murderer. “I didn’t kill anyone. I’m not a serial killer, that’s a statement. And I will prove it“, he firmly underlined. Words that had the gift of angering Internet users, shocked that seven to eight devotes a portrait to him. “And the relatives of the victims?”, “Why give a voice to a serial killer?”, “The new trend: highlighting crooks and bandits“, can we read among the comments left under the extract posted on Instagram. The outrage is similar on Twitter. “A madman who we will make a hero. Which class. Thank you TF1 for this interview unhealthy and nauseating“criticizes a user, while another criticizes a portrait “scandalous“.”What a shame“, “We’ll be on another channel”, reacted to other twittos.

Unrecognizable Tahar Rahim in The snake

To learn more about the career of Charles Sobhraj, it is always possible to view the eight episodes of the series The snake, available on Netflix. Tahar Rahim, who embodies the killer on the screen, is simply unrecognizable with his imposing glasses, his long wig and his facial prostheses. A radical change of look that even frightened the actor’s companion, Leïla Bekhti. “It’s crazy to be so nice in ‘real’ life and to be so believable as a psychopath. I am afraid of you !” she had indeed written in the caption of an extract from the mini-series posted on her Instagram account. A chilling performance that obviously had the desired effect.

Article written in collaboration with 6Medias.