Sector 36 Review: Plot: In Sector 36, India, a serial killer, Prem (Vikrant Massey), is on the loose, kidnapping children and brutally killing them, chopping their bodies, and disposing of them in the sewage. Inspector Pandey (Deepak Dobriyal) takes on the case of one such missing girl, which opens a can of worms. But the system doesn’t care about unknown faces, preferring him to focus on elite cases. What will this police officer, caught in a tug of war, do when life makes him realize the next victim could be his daughter?

Cast: Vikrant Massey, Deepak Dobriyal, Darshan Jariwala, and ensemble.
Director: Aditya Nimbalkar.
Writer: Bodhayan Roychaudhury.
Streaming on: Netflix.

Sector 36 Review: Analysis

The advent of the “eat the rich” genre has given cinema around the world the tools to tell stories about their societies. The monstrous levels of disparity between the haves and have-nots are unscalable because just when you think nothing can be more heinous, something proves you wrong. People burdened but living lives of oblivion while the system treats them like pests is a plot device that creates stories spanning various points of a spectrum without a hero. Even the Robin Hood of this world is scared to raise his voice, and if he dares, he risks being silenced by the powerful. Sector 36 fits somewhere on that spectrum, in a dark corner where there is no hero, just humans trying to survive.

Look around you at the headlines in tabloids and newspapers. Every day we survive without a scratch is probably a blessing, and the next day is just as risky. Aditya Nimbalkar, along with writer Bodhayan Roychaudhury, explores this concept in Sector 36. The film arrives at a time when India is discussing women’s safety and the threat of predators roaming free, seemingly unchecked by the system. The story is inspired by a real-life case from 2006, yet almost 20 years later, we find ourselves deeper in that rabbit hole. Read about the details of the Nithari Killings in Noida, Sector 31, in 2006, and you’ll realize the horror shown in the film is far more diluted than what actually happened. 

The screenplay of Sector 36 stands out because it doesn’t try to paint a hopeful picture where everything will turn out fine, the culprits will be caught, the streets will be safe, and we’ll all live to enjoy sunny gardens. Instead, it urges you to take a good look at the dumping ground our world has become and wake up before it’s too late. Bodhayan and Aditya craft a fictional story inspired by the 2006 case, shaping it so that there’s no hero—just varying shades of flawed humans. Even Inspector Pandey doesn’t initially care about the missing children, because who cares about immigrants living in slums? “They’ll reproduce more,” says the killer, referring to a child as though they’re a commodity. It’s only when danger strikes close to home that Pandey realizes even he isn’t safe and must finally use the power he holds. Yet, he’s still not a hero and remains far from secure.

Sector 36 effectively explores the lives of immigrants and their struggles. The film doesn't attempt to sugarcoat anything because it can’t. Take the psycho killer Prem, played by Vikrant Massey. He believes what he’s doing is justified because, to him, these children are pests, and the system shouldn’t care about them. For Prem, he’s purging the world while satisfying his hunger for violence. Vikrant plays Prem with great conviction, making him a believable villain. His performance, though not without flaws, is still stellar—especially following his critically acclaimed performance in 12th Fail. Little gestures, like a hair flip when he realizes he’s on camera, speak volumes; Prem has waited his whole life to be in the spotlight, even if it’s for being investigated for multiple murders.

On the other hand, Deepak Dobriyal plays one of the most layered roles of his career. His transition from an indifferent cop to a man concerned for his family and surroundings is evident, and the credit goes to Dobriyal’s exceptional performance. Pandey, too, is scared and flawed, crushed by a system that protects the powerful while neglecting the marginalized. Sector 36 impresses with its attention to detail, like the scene where the have-nots watch a Kaun Banega Crorepati-like show, dreaming of being on the hot seat one day—but who actually gets there? No one knows.

Sector 36 falters slightly when it makes the first encounter between Pandey and Prem a bit too convenient. The setup feels contrived—what are the odds that Prem would try to kidnap Pandey’s daughter at a crowded fair? The chase that ensues, leading Pandey to discover posters of missing children, feels somewhat forced. Prem’s story, in the end, is left hanging too loosely, leaving a sense of incompleteness.

The idea that such crimes continue to occur, and that those who stand up against them are still being silenced, is a compelling approach. The technical team has done a commendable job in making this world as authentic and believable as possible.

Sector 36 Review: Final Verdict

Vikrant Massey and Deepak Dobriyal’s Sector 36 is not a story looking for hope, but one that shows how little we have left. Aditya Nimbalkar’s approach to this dark narrative is commendable, and he has chosen the best actors to bring it to life.

Sector 36 releases on Netflix on September 13, 2024. Stay tuned to Mobile Masala for more information on this and everything else from the world of streaming and films.

Read Also: Sector 36 movie review: Vikrant Massey and Deepak Dobriyal revisit real-life horror with intense performances