“NH10” scares, thrills and entertains throughout its 115 minutes. It also suggests that Bollywood finally might have turned a corner this year, and is ready to churn out films that more faithfully reflect the country we inhabit – the whole country.

Performances by Neil Bhoopalam, Darshan Kumar and Deepti Naval are credible. None of them falter, not even a bit in convincing you about their characters. As for the film itself, it does not offer the same conviction. It has the trappings to sway the average Hindi movie buff, some might even see a ggreat leveller in it. But to the Hollywood regular this one’s just another release.

Navdeep’s less assured hands don’t lend ‘NH10’ the punch it deserves. It’s a good movie but not great.

…for all of NH10’s accomplishments, there are a few questionable lapses in logic, like when the couple uses a map chart instead of Google Maps on their expensive iPhones, and still lose their way. At times, the film overdoes it and keeps telling you ‘North India is full of horrible people’, because everyone in the film is seemingly out to kill the couple. Yes, some of the patriarchal rubbish in this country needs to be addressed, but does every man in the film need to be antagonistic to convey the point?

NH10 was not an easy film to make and it isn’t an easy film to watch, but give it five minutes, and it will suck you into its menace-riddled story. A thoroughly average idea and a flawed script add up to a gripping experience, thanks to Singh’s direction, Merchant’s editing and Sharma’s acting. That’s rare, particularly in Bollywood.

The night-time cinematography is creditable, and the performances are pretty much adequate. Anushka. Neil and Darshan Kumar as the villain dig in well but it’s a feisty Deepti Naval, who makes her all-too-brief cameo a memorable one. In fact her entry point is when the film picks up speed. Otherwise, Navdeep Singh’s film is a mere genre pusher.

NH10 is raw and entertaining in its own way. No doubt, it is meant more for the class audience but since the investment in the film (Rs. 14 crore approximately) is not big, it would very easily fetch commission. Sadly, the recovery from all other sources, except India theatrical, would be very limited. In spite of that, the film will fetch profits. It is a film which will win a lot of critical acclaim and one which will make the producers, director, technicians and actors associated with it, proud.

The violence which almost caused the censors to ban the film is still there, and very disturbing indeed. Yet, it doesn’t feel like a put-on. There’s no flamboyance to it; it isn’t movie violence—which is why I have a small issue (oblique, spoiler) with the last-gasp attempt to feed the audience’s need for retribution. It may have been dramatically necessary—every nerve in my body was crying out for it—but it was also slightly implausible. Still, this is a minor quibble.

NH10 cannot be interpreted at a simple text and story level (Calling it a rip-off of Eden Lake would be as reductionist as stating that Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof is inspired by Spielberg’s Duel) simply because a road trip is not about the car but about the road.

If one has to point out drawbacks, some of the twists in the story seem too convenient and the second half dips a wee bit in energy as compared to the first half. But overall, the choice of locations, the performances and the brutally honest take on a story that needed to be told, makes this film a hell of a scary ride but absolutely worth it. Don’t miss it.

There is an urgent need for men to get involved in bringing an end to the violence against women and criticize it loud and clear every time it takes place until it ends in the end.

Watch it as it speaks against everything that is wrong in our nation.