Looking back at ‘NH10’, an underrated gem of a movie 

NH10, an Indian film from 2015, is indeed one of those silent hits that went on to become underrated. With its astute portrayal and portentous storytelling, it's one of those thrillers you can't miss.

The movie primarily caters to those who relish horror without gore. It centres around a young couple whose road trip goes awry. In fact, the title refers to India's National Highway 10, which connects Delhi to Punjab.

What the couple thought would be a getaway from hectic work turns out to be a nightmare, as they witness a case of honour killing and are stuck fighting against a violent group of villagers. This unsuspecting turn grasps the audience, and one is stricken with the fear that they could very well end up in such a situation.

The film was shot in Gurugram, Rajasthan, as well as Haryana, which was chosen because of similar real-life events of honour killing that took place there. The cinematography and the locations create a sense of desolation that rightly sets up the plot.

NH10 was the debut production of Anushka Sharma, who is also the lead in the movie. It was directed by Navdeep Singh and written by Sudip Sharma. The film has an ensemble cast of Neil Bhoopalam, Darshan Kumar, and Deepti Naval. Darshan does exceptionally well as the antagonist, creating an acute sense of terror with his realistic depiction of violence in rural India. Deepti is great at highlighting the dichotomy of her character. 

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The issue of women's empowerment is delicately shown in the movie. Deepti plays the Sarpanch, or village chief, who at first glance seems like an innocent village woman, the torchbearer of empowerment. But as she participates equally in the violence, one is forced to take a step back and contemplate how impactful tokenism can be if vices are not uprooted from the core.

In fact, the sharp contrast between the lives of the couple and those of the villagers is striking and aptly put. In this subcontinent, two parallel worlds exist simultaneously. And what happens when one encounters the other? Whereas at times, work gets burdensome for urban, highly skilled individuals, even aspirations like going to college feel audacious to most rural women. In certain parts, democracy and the constitution rule, whereas superstitions and religious divisions rule the rest.

The couple's dynamics are also maturely depicted, and one sees a realistic relationship between them. They often don't agree on their decisions and dictate their own lives without the other's support. But the love they share is immensely strong, and one feels the essence of desperation in Anushka Sharma's character for her husband.

How bad can a road trip get? And what happens when things spiral completely out of control? This thriller creeps you out entirely because it may happen to anyone. Hence, you might want to revisit this gem.