Dibakar Das Roy

Dilli Dark (2023) throws you right into the chaos of Delhi, not the Instagrammable, filter-heavy Delhi, but the real, gritty, sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking version. Dibakar Das Roy, the brain behind this one, doesn’t hold back. You’re following Michael, this Nigerian student hustling his way through college life in Delhi—think language barriers, racism, crazy rent, and the constant battle to fit in while never really blending in. It’s comedy, but not the fluffy kind. The movie pokes at the double standards, the sly racism, and the bizarre things people say when they think no one’s listening. Honestly, the way Delhi comes alive in this film feels almost like the city itself is a character—loud, messy, unpredictable. You get this inside look at the immigrant experience, but with a very specific Delhi flavor—auto rides gone wrong, street food that might ruin your day, flatmates from every corner of the world. There’s a lot of smart satire, and the dialogue is sharp enough to leave a mark. Michael’s story doesn’t sugarcoat anything; it’s about survival, finding moments of joy, and sometimes just making it to the next day. The film really digs into identity and belonging, but it keeps you laughing even when it stings a bit. Dilli Dark is the kind of movie that sticks with you, probably because it doesn’t pretend Delhi—or life—is simple.