Movie: The Pickup Artist Director: Rohit Arora Genre: Neo-Noir, Mystery, Psycho-killer The Pickup Artist, an award-winning movie, revolves around the perception of a psycho-killer. The neo-noir movie, revolving around the subjects of cannibalism and murder, is about a photographer Rohit Arora.

He is looking for an honest, dedicated life-partner. The sardonic protagonist invites young girls to his flat, and questions them on idea of polygamy and infidelity. He is looking for a perfect woman to become his life partner—who is conservative and devoted. But none of the girls answers his questions satisfactorily. His reaction? He kills each of them; worse, he also eats them. He feeds on “cannibalistic delicacies,” invites his friends for feasting, and offers his signature meat dishes.

They relish the food, not knowing that they are eating human flesh. The film, shot in the streets of Delhi, tries to capture life in a realistic fashion—a nosy neighbor, a needy watchman, sexually active women. As the movie proceeds, it arouses the curiosity of the audience. Whodunit. And why is he killing women? How police will deal with the cases of missing women? But, in the end, the plot turns darker and surrealistic, with the young female police officer investigating the case ends up joining hands with the psychopathic murderer and herself ending up as a cannibal.

In short, there is neither escape nor justice for the victims. And surely no consequences for the unconscionable killers. The movie offers no hope. It is an affront to freedom-loving women, indeed affront to any decent person who has faith in some kind of moral system.

Rohit Arora also happens to be the name of the film’s director. Talking to IndiaNarrative.com, he said, “The movie is about finding trust. The idea of Pickup Artist and trust somehow amalgamated together, eventually turning out to be a mystery thriller where everything has a significant symbolic value.”

Arora justified his work which, he said, received more than 10 international nominations.

The cast consists of 20 theatre actors. The audience never gets to see the physical protagonist, Rohit Arora, throughout the movie, except in the end. We hear his voice, see his actions, from his eyes. Everything is from his perspective. But the point is: should the audience spend a couple of hours to understand a sick, perverted, criminal mind?