The Violin Player is so self-contained that giving away any details of the plot feels dangerously close to spoiling the ending. The film is directed by Bauddhayan Mukherji, a TV commercial director. No wonder then, that the film also follows the rules of a good TV spot — it’s mesmerizing, easily digestible, and hard-hitting.

The film is about a violinist (Ritwick Chakraborty) who freelances with Bollywood composers. One day, a mysterious “director” played by Adil Hussain spots him at a Mumbai metro station. What follows is a combination of often-confusing eccentricity, great music, and compelling mystery.

While the movie might need an open mind and a spot of patience in the beginning, it pays off significantly about twenty minutes in, and after that it is easy to lose track of time. This is when Mukherji’s mastery kicks in, even though this is his first movie — his brutal brevity translates spectacularly into a 72-minute spectacle, just long enough to be classified as a feature film. Without wasting any time, The Violin Player cuts to the meat of its story immediately, and doesn’t linger unnecessarily afterward.

My rating: 4/5

Language: Hindi (English subtitles)

Duration: 1h 12m

Availability outside Netflix: Not available

Netflix availability: Available globally with subtitles in over 15 languages.