When his brother seriously injures his arm after a heated scuffle, filmmaker Abhay Kumar takes his place at his college’s dorm. Over the next couple years, Kumar records the protests and the people who make the All India Institute of Medical Science the institution that it is, for better or worse.

In its compelling bleakness, Placebo is an intelligent diagnosis of the ills that plague the Indian educational system, particularly at a college where less than 0.1% of aspirants get accepted. Depression, neglect and isolation haunt the corridors of this college’s dorms; so much so that nobody ever notices this new guy on campus capturing everything with his handheld camcorder.

Placebo is shot and presented in color, but it doesn’t feel that way. Even recreational activities and lighter moments take on a grim tone in this literally dark film. But the diseases that lurk underneath even the fun moments on campus are hard to ignore. With top-notch editing and animated sequences, this documentary’s stark indictment of the system needs to be seen.

My rating: 4/5

Language: Hindi/English (English subtitles)

Duration: 1h 34m

Availability outside Netflix: Available to buy/rent on iTunes (₹120-₹350) and Google Play (₹100-₹250)

Netflix availability: Available globally with subtitles in over 10 languages.