Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- dark
- tense
- disturbing
- late night thriller viewing
- bollywood crime marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film’s hard-hitting contemporary thriller premise, young ensemble performances, sound, editing, and visual ambition, while noting that its later passages lose momentum and become repetitive.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Amrita and her friends move from drug-fueled recklessness to accidental killing and a fabricated kidnapping.
The film’s reception specifically highlights its sound, editing, and forceful visual orchestration during the investigation and the group’s unraveling.
A corrupt constable demands a large payoff, while the suspended Inspector Arvind Mathur struggles to conduct the kidnapping investigation.
The young group’s drug and alcohol use, alienation, and reckless nightlife embody the film’s subterranean metropolitan youth milieu.
Films like Shaitan, and why
Dev.D
dark urban crime thriller with morally compromised young characters, drug use, and escalating desperation
Paanch
stylized Indian crime drama combining volatile youth culture, addiction, and kinetic visual experimentation
Kaminey
hard-edged ensemble crime thriller driven by corruption, violence, and pressure from the urban underworld
Movie Details
- Director
- Bejoy Nambiar
- Release Date
- 2011-06-01
- Runtime
- 126 min
- Rating
- 6.3 / 10 (53)
Cast
- Rajeev Khandelwal
- Kalki Koechlin
- Shiv Panditt
- Neil Bhoopalam
- Gulshan Devaiah
- Kirti Kulhari
- Rajit Kapoor
- Rajat Barmecha
- Shivani Tanksale
- Nikhil Chinapa
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Shaitan about?
- A volatile Hindi crime thriller about alienated young friends whose drug-fueled recklessness mutates into a fake kidnapping and a battle with compromised police authority.
- What is Shaitan like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Shaitan as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Shaitan violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Shaitan as brutal.
- What did critics think of Shaitan?
- Critics broadly praised the film’s hard-hitting contemporary thriller premise, young ensemble performances, sound, editing, and visual ambition, while noting that its later passages lose momentum and become repetitive.
- Which films are like Shaitan?
- Films with a similar feel include Dev.D, Paanch, and Kaminey.
- How long is Shaitan?
- Shaitan runs 126 minutes.
- Where can I watch Shaitan?
- In United States, Shaitan is available to rent or buy from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube.
