Satluj

It ensures that despite gravity, the film never succumbs to tedious pacing.

There are films that entertain, films that provoke, and then there are films that simply refuse to let you look away. Satluj belongs firmly in the third category.

This is a clear win for filmmakers who want to tell the story of an actual person, time and place, with unwavering conviction. Satluj opens with a chilling sequence which sets the tone of the film.

A tense, triggering and fearlessly honest investigative thriller, Satluj unearths one of Punjab's darkest chapters with unflinching honesty and gripping intensity.

Honey Trehan's direction is restrained, never resorting to melodrama despite the emotionally explosive subject matter. He allows the horrors to speak for themselves, making the film even more unsettling.

Call the film by any name, it remains a harrowing, heart-rending chronicle of the consequences of unchecked state power. Despite its length – 163 minutes, and not all of them necessary – Satluj is a gripping, tension-filled affair.