"Rape in any of its forms is horrific," this line from one of the pivotal scenes in the movie is what describes the drive of its story appropriately. It's difficult to imagine what a victim of rape goes through. What it means to be violated with force and malicious intent! What effect does it have on an individual's psyche? If gender of the victim plays a role in any capacity whatsoever! Does law provide an adequate cover for every victim? The film hovers around such issues and thus is an important and relevant story. Every victim relies on a collective understanding of a crime and criminal in order to get justice, but we as a group of civilised human beings have absolutely no idea how any trauma affects a particular person. All of this makes for a matter worth probing, and 376 D makes a courageous effort.
It's a story of 2 brothers, and a girl whose relationship to them is the bedrock of their existence in a make-or-break entanglement of a big city. A series of unusual incidents through a night shakes their lives irrevocably. There's an attempt to physically assault and gang rape. If you consider this a spoiler, the story really actually begins after this. It's not a suspense film, it's not an overtly dramatic film, it's a film about a traumatising incident, and the after effects that follow in the wake of loss, legality, and everyday life.
376 D takes its name from a specific section in law that deals with gang rape. After watching the movie, I can safely say that the movie is aptly titled, because the focus is really on the legal recourse. The characters do not reveal much about their individual lives or their pasts, other than around the incident. We are left with a fight that rests solely on a narrative that places all its bets on moving forward. The debutant directors, Gunveen Kaur and Robin Sikarwar, deserve praise for their commitment to a vision of raw, unembellished truth.
The performances in the film speak, but whether they echo or not is a subjective opinion. Vivek Kumar as Sanju calls upon emotions and anxiety with considerable satisfaction, Naman Anand as Devi is brief but vibrant enough, while Deeksha Joshi as Sandhya punches with what she's got. The two lawyers played by Sumit Singh Sikarwar (as Mr. Keshav Anand), and Priyanka Sharma (as Ms. Shalini) do quite a lot of heavy lifting in a true-to-life portrayal of courtroom proceedings. Their presence and arguments bring a refreshing change of pace from what we have known as court dramas.
It's impossible to talk about this film without its music & lyrics. The songs are impactful, heartwarming, and liven up the background of these characters who seem stuck in their web of 'reasonable doubts'. Kudos to the entire team!
It's not easy to survive in this growing world of consumerism and rabid development. It strips people of their identities. There are millions of Sanjus & Devis out there who live in a demanding city with an income that doesn't attract any sort of influence. They might be getting wronged in one way or another. And although it seems like a theoretical idea that reformative justice would take place & compensate for their losses, there may just be a sweet release of emancipation in justice that empowers and lets one move ahead with life. The film's climax imagines and captures this for a beautiful brief moment.
