Sector 36 review: A haunting tale that stays with you long after the credits roll!

Sector 36 is one of those fictional accounts of real-life-based crime that weaves an entire narrative around what happened, only to leave you wondering why it all happened! 

I understand that when a crime is unimaginably gruesome, it's difficult to view the criminal through a lens of humanity—seeing them as a person shaped by societal neglect and trauma to the point where they can no longer distinguish right from wrong. But we must because no one is born a criminal; they are made into one sometimes by an unfair and unbalanced society. This forms the crux of Sector 36! A haunting film based on a real-life crime, Sector 36 conveys the message that the root of such horrors often lies within our flawed system rather than simply individual evil. It’s not a justification for crime but an exploration of how criminals think they can act without consequence.

The film is inspired by the 2005-06 Nithari Killing case, where Moninder Singh Pandher, a wealthy businessman, and his domestic worker, Surinder Koli, were accused of raping and murdering 19 women and children in Nithari, India. The bone-chilling Noida case details will disgust anyone who reads up on it—cannibalism, voyeurism, dismembered bodies found in a backyard and nearby sewer, and so much more, which the film, while portrayed in all its disturbing reality keeps at the bare minimum. Wrapped as a police investigation of missing children that leads to a chase to catch a serial killer, the film spreads out all the facts on the table while commenting on it. 

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At first glance, Sector 36 may seem like a straightforward thriller about a deranged serial killer, Prem (Vikrant Massey), versus a determined cop, Pandey (Deepak Dobriyal), but it's far more profound. It's not just a police procedural; it’s a scathing critique of societal neglect and systemic failures, exposing negligent law enforcement that is often too overburdened. It talks about how corrupt officials focus on self-preservation, and how the plight of marginalized communities would do anything to survive. Debutant director Aditya Nimbalkar and writer Bodhayan Roychaudhury stay away from the usual tropes of sensationalized crime dramas and refuse to romanticize Prem's psychopathy to the point of making him enigmatic or portray Pandey’s evolution from apathetic indifference to concerned heroism. Instead, they deliver a raw, realistic narrative where the "have-nots" of this society are pushed into oblivion, rendered so insignificant by the "haves" that no one cares if they're crushed by a serial killer who is "doing society a favor" or how the very system meant to protect them silences the rising voice.

Even though it's commendable how the film's structure is designed to dismantle every stereotype and audience expectation from the film yet, it is the film’s technical aspects that stand out the most. Every department, from Saurabh Goswami’s cinematography, which captures the grotesque in a way that repulses and captivates to A. Sreekar Prasad’s editing, everything ensures you marvel at Vikrant Massey’s performance but never forget the monstrous character he portrays. Massey and Dobriyal  are both seen in a completely new light here and they seamlessly layer their characters to bring the conundrum of their lives to the surface without falling into the traps of typecasting their characters. 

While the film isn’t without its flaws, mainly in creating a cohesive structure that engages deeply on an emotional account, it still leaves a strong impact and many questions. It raises a sobering question: if IPS' full form becomes 'In Politicians Service', and the system that should provide justice instead deems the poor and powerless as invisible pests, then who should we turn to for seeking justice? Sector 36 offers no clear answers but its end amidst its grim and dark portrayal of a broken system leaves us with a tiny flicker of hope. Whether that hope holds true in reality remains uncertain as the real culprits of this horrific crime have been recently acquitted. One thing is for sure: In this day and age where security seems a far-away dream and complacency a necessary tool for survival, this film subtly raises its voice against the privileged of this society, for whom it's far easier to get away with absolutely anything than it is for the unprivileged.

Sector 36 is currently streaming on Netflix!

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