Film review “Sector 36" — Monsters within us

Jab tak aapbeeti naa ho, hume farak nahi padta - Something that was indicated in Maharaja as well. This is what our society has become.

This one leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. The acquittals prick more after watching the film.

Ramayan as a part of a film's narrative has become a trend that we've seen in many recent films. This film implements a Ramayan reference in a unique way. Prem dons the mask of Raavan during Ram Leela when he tries to abduct Ramcharan's daughter. The one chasing the man masked as Raavan is also a Raavan. A reference to the fact that the police were as much an accessory to the crimes committed against innocent kids by being blind bystanders. The whole judicial system failed numerous innocent lives by acquitting monsters of these heinous crimes. They went scott free in 2023. Such a shame.

This film exhibits top notch performances by Vikrant Massey and Deepak Dobriyal. Vikrant Massey slid smoothly into the role of Prem. The evil in his character can be felt through his eyes. The only time I didn't feel the intensity of his character was during his interaction with Ali, the only interaction shown with a child. Understandably it must've been a difficult sequence to shoot with a kid actor.

Prem showcased the mirror of society - society's indifference, the favouritism of the rich and the ignorance towards the downtrodden. Prem had accepted it as a fact and played with it as he wished because he was sure nothing untoward will happen if this comes out. He confesses to the killings without any resistance. Goes to show it was just as easy to nab him when the first kid went missing as it was when the 24th kid went missing if only police had done their job. It was just as easy to convict the criminals as evidence was spread across their backyard but judicial system had it in them to discount what was infront of their eyes.

The story focuses on the intent of the film. This is evident in the interrogation scene, while Prem narrates how he carried out the murders and disposed off the bodies we can only hear the pleas of grieving parents and the names of the kids. It shifts our focus from the criminal to the victims, the lives lost, the families destroyed and the brutal injustice. That’s what we should remember and not the act of crime and the way it was committed.

There's a line from the book "Look Closer" by David Ellis which says:
"The brilliance of the law is that it's not concerned with one person but with the system applicable to all. It protects the guilty so it can protect the innocent."
Guess people have conveniently forgotten the last part of the quote.

At the end of the film, the police inspector is still shown playing Raavan in the local Ram Leela. And never the Ram. Ram never makes it on the stage.