# Gurgaon (film)
**Gurgaon** (गुड़गांव) is a 2017 Indian Hindi-language neo-noir crime film directed by Shanker Raman in his directorial debut, about a kidnapping that exposes the violence and corruption inside a wealthy real-estate family in the city of Gurgaon, Haryana.[1](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/gurgaon-movie-review-akshay-oberoi-ragini-khannas-film-is-splendidly-crafted-1733046) • [2](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/gurgaon) It was produced by Jar Pictures and released in Indian theaters on 4 August 2017.[3](https://scroll.in/article/843468/portraits-of-indias-people-by-a-flemmish-artist-who-lived-on-the-margins-of-18th-century-calcutta) • [4](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/gurgaon/movie-review/59874327.cms)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director | Shanker Raman, a National Award-winning cinematographer, in his feature directorial debut[1](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/gurgaon-movie-review-akshay-oberoi-ragini-khannas-film-is-splendidly-crafted-1733046) • [5](https://database.filmbazaarindia.com/media/2561/knowledge_series_2019.pdf) |
| Release | 4 August 2017, India; runtime 1h 47min; UA certificate[4](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/gurgaon/movie-review/59874327.cms) • [2](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/gurgaon) |
| Principal cast | Pankaj Tripathi as Kehri Singh, Akshay Oberoi as Nikki, Ragini Khanna as Preet, Shalini Vatsa as Karma Devi, Aamir Bashir as Hooda[2](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/gurgaon) |
| Premise | The kidnapping of Preet forces real-estate baron Kehri Singh to revisit his dark past; Nikki and his friend Rajvir demand Rs. 10 million (Rs. 1 crore) as ransom[2](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/gurgaon) • [6](https://filminformation.com/reviews/gurgaon/) |
| Development honors | Best Project at the NFDC Work-in-Progress Lab (2015) and the Prasad DI Award at NFDC Film Bazaar 2015[5](https://database.filmbazaarindia.com/media/2561/knowledge_series_2019.pdf) • [7](https://films.wavesbazaar.com/the-bazaar/media-centre/) |
| Critical reception | 86% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer from 14 reviews; 6.4/10 on IMDb[8](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gurgaon) • [2](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/gurgaon) |
| Availability | Streaming on Amazon Prime Video and free with ads on JioHotstar[2](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/gurgaon) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and themes
The story centers on Kehri Singh ([Pankaj Tripathi](https://www.edgepedia.org/pankaj-tripathi)), a real-estate baron who runs his company, Preet Real Estate, in his daughter's name because he considers her his lucky mascot. His son Nikki Singh ([Akshay Oberoi](https://www.edgepedia.org/akshay-oberoi)) is sidelined and insulted by his father, who regards him as insolent, useless, and unlucky. Hoping to repay the substantial money he owes to a neighborhood gangster, Nikki triggers a disturbing incident that compels his father to face both the shadows of his history and an ugly reality.[2](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/gurgaon) Convinced his father will never give him money to pay the bookie, Nikki and his friend Rajvir (Arjun Fauzdar) plot to kidnap Preet and demand Rs. 10 million (Rs. 1 crore) in ransom.[6](https://filminformation.com/reviews/gurgaon/)
The screenplay invokes several themes: female infanticide, predatory land deals, forest encroachment, and illegal cricket betting, woven into what one reviewer called a harrowing portrait of urban dystopia.[1](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/gurgaon-movie-review-akshay-oberoi-ragini-khannas-film-is-splendidly-crafted-1733046) Raman told *The Indian Express* that he wanted to investigate the source of entitlement, and the film examines patriarchy and corrupt real-estate practices through a power struggle in which the tycoon's daughter and chosen successor is pitted against a male scion driven by entitlement, hate, and rage.[9](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/gurgaon-movie-film-i-wanted-to-investigate-the-source-of-entitlement-4777922/lite/) • [1](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/gurgaon-movie-review-akshay-oberoi-ragini-khannas-film-is-splendidly-crafted-1733046) Shubhra Gupta of *The Indian Express* described the setting as a township where big landowners who were once land-grabbers rule, and noted that much of the dialogue is in guttural, harsh Haryanvi.[10](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/gurgaon-movie-review-pankaj-tripathi-ragini-khanna-star-rating-4782126/lite/)
## Production
Shanker Raman, a cinematography graduate of the [Film and Television Institute of India](https://www.edgepedia.org/film-and-television-institute-of-india), Pune, and a two-time National Award winner, developed the film as his first feature as director.[5](https://database.filmbazaarindia.com/media/2561/knowledge_series_2019.pdf) Shooting began in January 2015, and Raman worked closely with editor Shan Mohammed on the story's tone; he described the film as having more than one protagonist rather than following a traditional narrative.[9](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/gurgaon-movie-film-i-wanted-to-investigate-the-source-of-entitlement-4777922/lite/) The project won Best Project at the NFDC Work-in-Progress Lab in 2015, and as a work in progress at NFDC Film Bazaar 2015 it won the Prasad DI Award.[5](https://database.filmbazaarindia.com/media/2561/knowledge_series_2019.pdf) • [7](https://films.wavesbazaar.com/the-bazaar/media-centre/)
The screenplay is credited to Shanker Raman, Sourabh Ratnu, and Yogi Singha, with dialogues by Vipin Bhati.[1](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/gurgaon-movie-review-akshay-oberoi-ragini-khannas-film-is-splendidly-crafted-1733046) Vivek Shah shot the film, joining at the third draft of the script; he recalled that Raman treated the city itself as the most important character, a metaphor for choices people make rather than an exotic backdrop.[6](https://filminformation.com/reviews/gurgaon/) • [11](https://upperstall.com/features/cinematographers-note-gurgaon/?noamp=mobile) The visual palette is dominated by blacks, browns, and greys, twinning the real city with what *Scroll.in* called a fictional abyss of ambition, corruption, and amorality.[3](https://scroll.in/article/843468/portraits-of-indias-people-by-a-flemmish-artist-who-lived-on-the-margins-of-18th-century-calcutta) Raman said his intention was to make a film that was commercial in the sense of being accessible to a larger audience, and that collaboration with the producer was his biggest learning from the project.[12](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/shanker-raman-interview-love-hostel-director-bobby-deol-vikrant-massey-sanya-malhotra-zee5-7806612/)
## Reception
Critics were broadly positive about the craft and divided on the impact. Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave four stars out of five, calling it a compelling neo-noir slow burner with precise writing, perfect lensing, and highly evocative sound design.[1](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/gurgaon-movie-review-akshay-oberoi-ragini-khannas-film-is-splendidly-crafted-1733046) Shubhra Gupta of *The Indian Express* rated it 2.5 out of 5, calling it dark, dystopic, and a solid, atmospheric debut, while finding that the film's brutalities were dulled by a distancing treatment.[10](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/gurgaon-movie-review-pankaj-tripathi-ragini-khanna-star-rating-4782126/lite/) The Times of India gave 3 out of 5, judging that the film never quite took the leap its opening monologue promised.[4](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/gurgaon/movie-review/59874327.cms) [Hindustan Times](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindustan-times) rated it 3.5 out of 5, noting it was a small-budget film whose biggest name was Pankaj Tripathi, and that filmmaker [Anurag Kashyap](https://www.edgepedia.org/anurag-kashyap) promoted it heavily on social media.[13](https://www.hindustantimes.com/movie-reviews/gurgaon-movie-review-pankaj-tripathi-shines-in-this-dark-twisted-and-mean-family-saga/story-6jMs24f6w389sPYzbKlIUJ_amp.html) • [14](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/anurag-kashyap-and-ranveer-singh-are-excited-about-the-movie-gurgaon-watch-video-4762254/) The IANS agency was the most negative, rating it two and a half stars and finding the story too feeble to substantiate its opening claims.[15](https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/gurgaon-dark-but-not-compelling-enough-ians-review-rating-1-2-117080400363_1.html) On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds an 86% Tomatometer from 14 reviews, with critics praising the shocking finale and Raman's command of the medium.[8](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gurgaon)
The trade magazine Film Information predicted bleak box-office prospects, judging that the script aimed at the masses while the narration catered more to class audiences, and criticized the unconvincing logic of Kehri Singh not paying the ransom.[6](https://filminformation.com/reviews/gurgaon/)
## Afterlife
Released with little promotion, the film later drew renewed attention as an early starring performance by Pankaj Tripathi, who by 2022 had become a widely cast actor; a 2022 *Indian Express* retrospective placed it in a second tier of the Hindi neo-noir resurgence, alongside films such as *BA Pass* and *Monsoon Shootout*, and praised its upending of genre tropes.[16](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/gurgaon-shanker-raman-nihilistic-film-noir-is-the-perfect-primer-for-love-hostel-7787402/lite/) The film is currently available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video and free with ads on JioHotstar.[2](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/gurgaon)
## References
1. [Gurgaon Movie Review: Akshay Oberoi, Ragini Khanna's Film Is Splendidly Crafted, NDTV (Saibal Chatterjee)](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/gurgaon-movie-review-akshay-oberoi-ragini-khannas-film-is-splendidly-crafted-1733046)
2. [Gurgaon streaming: where to watch movie online?, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/gurgaon)
3. [Director Shankar Ramen and cinematographer Vivek Shah revisit the black-and-brown world of 'Gurgaon', Scroll.in](https://scroll.in/article/843468/portraits-of-indias-people-by-a-flemmish-artist-who-lived-on-the-margins-of-18th-century-calcutta)
4. [Gurgaon Movie Review {3/5}, The Times of India (Nihit Bhave)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/gurgaon/movie-review/59874327.cms)
5. [Film Bazaar 2019 Knowledge Series, NFDC](https://database.filmbazaarindia.com/media/2561/knowledge_series_2019.pdf)
6. [GURGAON - Film Information (Komal Nahta)](https://filminformation.com/reviews/gurgaon/)
7. [Media Centre, NFDC WAVES Film Bazaar](https://films.wavesbazaar.com/the-bazaar/media-centre/)
8. [Gurgaon, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gurgaon)
9. ['I wanted to investigate the source of entitlement', The Indian Express (Alaka Sahani)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/gurgaon-movie-film-i-wanted-to-investigate-the-source-of-entitlement-4777922/lite/)
10. [Gurgaon movie review: This Pankaj Tripathi and Ragini Khanna film is dark and dystopic, The Indian Express (Shubhra Gupta)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/gurgaon-movie-review-pankaj-tripathi-ragini-khanna-star-rating-4782126/lite/)
11. [Cinematographer's Note: Gurgaon, Upperstall.com (Vivek Shah)](https://upperstall.com/features/cinematographers-note-gurgaon/?noamp=mobile)
12. [Shanker Raman interview: Love Hostel director, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/shanker-raman-interview-love-hostel-director-bobby-deol-vikrant-massey-sanya-malhotra-zee5-7806612/)
13. [Gurgaon movie review: You wouldn't want to be trapped in this dark, mean world, Hindustan Times (Sweta Kaushal)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/movie-reviews/gurgaon-movie-review-pankaj-tripathi-shines-in-this-dark-twisted-and-mean-family-saga/story-6jMs24f6w389sPYzbKlIUJ_amp.html)
14. [Anurag Kashyap and Ranveer Singh are excited about the movie, Gurgaon, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/anurag-kashyap-and-ranveer-singh-are-excited-about-the-movie-gurgaon-watch-video-4762254/)
15. ['Gurgaon': Dark but not compelling enough (IANS Review), Business Standard](https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/gurgaon-dark-but-not-compelling-enough-ians-review-rating-1-2-117080400363_1.html)
16. [Gurgaon: Shanker Raman's nihilistic film noir is the perfect primer for the lurid Love Hostel, The Indian Express (Rohan Naahar)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/gurgaon-shanker-raman-nihilistic-film-noir-is-the-perfect-primer-for-love-hostel-7787402/lite/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Hindi films of the 2010s › Hindi films of 2016*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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