Stolen (2023)

In the wee morning hours at a remote railway station, a chance encounter changes the lives of a few young people forever. Gautam is there to pick up his brother Raman for an extravagant destination wedding. The relationship between the two brothers is already tenuous at best, and the thin veneer of familial love is further challenged when they chance upon Jhumpa Mahato. An already broken woman with little to her name, Jhumpa is beside herself with panic when she wakes from her slumber to discover her infant daughter missing. A series of unfortunate incidents embroil the two brothers into Jhumpa's pitiful endeavour to be reunited with her young child. This perilous journey through the unforgiving hinterlands thrusts the young men out of their sheltered existence, compelling them to confront the harshness of reality. The Bansal brothers and Jhumpa are forced to navigate the dark underbelly of society, testing their resilience, trust, and ultimately, their humanity. The film does not shy from the inequalities and mistrust that pervade our world but also draws attention to the unyielding strength of the human spirit. Amidst the heart-pounding action and survival struggles, deeper themes of motherhood, classism, xenophobia, and a disillusionment with the system emerge, adding layers of complexity to the narrative. —Karan Tejpal