Child abuse is a serious issue. This is also something to which the government machinery often turns a blind eye. Especially when the targeted children belong to marginalized groups. Nobody cares about them. His only inscription is an entry in an obscure file. Sector 36 tries to make us accept that reality. By ignoring such incidents, the entire society becomes a partner in crime. The film is not an easy watch. The various murders that occur are serious to the extreme. The scenes are designed to shock you and they succeed. At least while watching the movie, you will want to rid the world of such evil. Because that’s what criminals are – pure evil in human guise. When you think of the fate of the victims who actually suffered such atrocities you shudder watching the proceedings. Cinema is often cited as an escape from reality but sometimes it is also a mirror that reflects the blackness that exists in society. And it’s as dark as can be. Perhaps to the relief of the audience, the ending has been changed to offer a small ray of hope. But this also feels like the promise of a false morning.
The acting of both the leads adds to the entertaining plot. If one commits to Vikrant Massey in 12th Fail, one starts hating and fearing him from the very first moment. The casual menace he exudes as prime accused Prem Singh takes your breath away. There is no regret at all in his eyes for his actions. The scene where he opens up about his misdeeds is a kind of catharsis for him. As if a tap has been opened, it keeps babbling continuously and we keep listening attentively. He is a generational actor who lives and breathes for his art and definitely doesn’t want to be pigeonholed solely into heroic roles. Unlike Vikrant Massey, we have Deepak Dobriyal, who has a habit of absorbing every character he plays. He is one of the few actors who can make silence speak. He did this as the accused Captain Javed Khan in Shaurya (2008) and he does the same here. He is left speechless after hearing the words of love, but the expressions on his face say it all. His frustration at being stopped by his superiors is real and his obsession to find out the truth at any cost is also real. He’s the most unpredictable of heroes and you root for him to root out evil.
Like Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983), which was a dark satire on truth and its various versions, Sector 36 also shows that the innocent are punished instead of the criminals. Watch it for the harsh reality depicted and the brilliant acting by Vikrant Massey and Deepak Dobriyal.