Sector 36: When serial killers show us our reality

An understaffed, underpaid police force. Your social 'network' determining your guilt. And children who don't matter

- Kabir Singh Bhandari

I had been putting off watching the movie Sector 36 because I had heard it was too gory, being based on the Nithari killings, which came to light in 2006. Serial killer movies and series are a dime a dozen nowadays, but those involving cannibalism and dismembered body parts are something I’d rather avoid. For the same reason, I had skipped Dahmer (2022), the web series based on Jeffrey Dahmer, who killed 17 young men and ate them before being arrested in 1991.

But one fine day, when I was down and out due to the flu currently going around the city, I settled for something dark to watch. That’s when Aditya Nimbalkar’s debut directorial, written by Bodhayan Roychaudhury, came on. Another factor that nudged me in this direction was an FB status update by an ex-senior, who mentioned that, although it was difficult to watch, it was a must-see.

But why watch something that involves such disturbing elements? Because the film reveals the rot in the system that allows such individuals to thrive.