Stolen – June 4, 2025 | Prime Video

“Stolen,” premiering on June 4 exclusively on Prime Video, is a taut, emotionally charged thriller that takes viewers deep into the heart of rural India. Marking the feature directorial debut of Karan Tejpal, the film is backed by industry stalwarts Anurag Kashyap, Kiran Rao, Nikkhil Advani, and Vikramaditya Motwane, ensuring a blend of gritty realism and potent storytelling. Anchored by an enthralling central performance from Abhishek Banerjee, “Stolen” traverses a world of crime, corruption, and moral dilemma as two city-bred brothers confront their conscience and fight to rescue an abducted baby.

Plot Synopsis

Set against the arid expanse of rural India, “Stolen” begins when two urban brothers, Rohit (Abhishek Banerjee) and Vivek (Shubham Vardhan), find themselves on a late-night train journey to a small town. At a dusty railway station, they witness the sudden abduction of an infant from a young mother’s arms. Shocked and conflicted, Vivek urges Rohit to report the crime and walk away—but Rohit’s innate sense of justice compels him to intervene. Together, they embark on a perilous quest that unearths a web of local crime syndicates, corrupt officials, and never-before-seen dangers lurking far from the city lights.

As the brothers navigate desolate bylanes and encounter morally ambiguous villagers, the film steadily ratchets up tension. Each step closer to the truth places them at greater risk: unfolding revelations about local powerbrokers, clandestine trafficking rings, and police complicity force Rohit and Vivek to question their own limits. When personal loyalties clash with the desire to save an innocent life, “Stolen” ultimately becomes a gripping exploration of how far one will go for justice.

Direction & Production

• Director (Feature Debut): Karan Tejpal’s background in documentary filmmaking shines through in “Stolen,” with realistic cinematography that captures the relentless dust, heat, and stark beauty of India’s hinterlands. Critics have praised Tejpal’s unflinching eye for detail: from wide shots of barren fields to intimate, close-up frames that magnify every emotion on Abhishek Banerjee’s face.
  
• Producers: Carrying the weight of four renowned producers—Anurag Kashyap, Kiran Rao, Nikkhil Advani, and Vikramaditya Motwane—the film benefits from a seamless fusion of auteur-driven storytelling and mainstream sensibilities. Each producer’s distinct filmmaking heritage contributes to “Stolen”’s layered tone—gritty yet empathetic, raw yet hopeful.
  

Cast & Performances

• Abhishek Banerjee (Rohit): As the moral center of “Stolen,” Banerjee delivers a riveting performance marked by simmering intensity and vulnerability. His portrayal of Rohit’s moral awakening—oscillating between rage, fear, and righteous fury—anchors the film’s emotional core. Critics have noted his ability to convey unspoken conflict with a mere glance, making every scene a masterclass in subdued acting.
  
• Shubham Vardhan (Vivek): Serving as Rohit’s foil, Vivek questions the wisdom of chasing dangerous criminals. Vardhan’s portrayal of a reluctant hero—torn between self-preservation and familial duty—adds a compelling layer of moral complexity to the narrative.
  
• Mia Maelzer (Mother): Cast as the distressed mother whose child is abducted, Maelzer’s brief but harrowing performance captures raw maternal anguish. Her scenes—ranging from frantic screams on the platform to tearful pleas—imbue the film with urgent emotional stakes.
  
• Harish Khanna & Sahidur Rahaman: As local law enforcement officers, Khanna and Rahaman embody the shades of complicity and corruption obstructing the brothers’ quest. Their cold, bureaucratic demeanor highlights the systemic rot that “Stolen” exposes.
  
• Supporting Cast: Several villagers, henchmen, and minor characters—portrayed by a talented ensemble—populate the film’s grim world. Each performance, no matter how small, reinforces the pervasive sense of danger and desperation.
  

Cinematography & Sound Design

• Visual Aesthetic: Cinematographer Arjun Khanna uses natural light and dust-laden lenses to conjure rural India’s oppressive atmosphere. Sparse landscapes, wide-open skies, and sun-beaten roads convey isolation and vulnerability. Contrasting tight interior shots—dimly lit huts, cramped police stations—amplify the film’s claustrophobic tension.
  
• Soundscape: Composer Rajan Kulkarni blends ambient rural noises—rustling dry leaves, creaking wooden doors, haunting wind whistling through broken windows—with a minimalist score. Moments of silence are as potent as musical crescendos, allowing viewers to feel every heartbeat and second of suspense.
  

Themes & Analysis

1. Moral Responsibility vs. Self-Preservation: At its core, “Stolen” interrogates how far ordinary individuals will risk personal safety to do what is right. Rohit’s unwavering conscience collides with Vivek’s pragmatic reluctance, creating a moral tension that resonates with the viewer’s own internal dilemmas.
   
2. Corruption & Complicity: The film exposes a multilayered network of criminals, corrupt officials, and apathy that allows heinous crimes to flourish unchecked. Each encounter underscores how deeply corruption infects every level of rural governance.
   
3. Urban-Rural Divide: Rohit and Vivek’s city-bred sensibilities clash with the rural environment’s harsh realities. Their unfamiliarity with local dialects, customs, and power dynamics heightens their vulnerability—and underscores the chasm between metropolitan India and its hinterlands.
   
4. Power of Conscience: Ultimately, “Stolen” is a tribute to human compassion. Even in dire circumstances, Rohit’s single-minded quest to rescue an innocent life shines as a beacon of hope in a setting fraught with moral decay.

Why “Stolen” Matters

• Emerging Talent: Karan Tejpal’s feature debut signals the arrival of a talented new voice in Indian cinema—one that blends documentary authenticity with narrative urgency.
  
• Critical Backing: Having “producer A” (Anurag Kashyap), “producer B” (Kiran Rao), “producer C” (Nikkhil Advani), and “producer D” (Vikramaditya Motwane) attached lends “Stolen” significant industry credibility. Their combined expertise ensures the film retains its gritty edge while achieving broad accessibility on a streaming platform.
  
• Timely Resonance: In an era where stories of child abductions and trafficking continue to haunt India’s rural areas, “Stolen” provides a stark reminder of the societal fractures that allow such crimes to persist. Its release on June 4—a time when festivals often spotlight family—intensifies the film’s emotional impact.

Conclusion

“Stolen,” releasing on June 4, 2025, is a compelling thriller that navigates the dusty backdrops of rural India, exploring themes of conscience, corruption, and courage. Anchored by Abhishek Banerjee’s riveting performance and Karan Tejpal’s assured direction, the film promises to be both a gripping ride and a thoughtful social commentary. With powerhouse producers ensuring high production values and wide reach on Prime Video, “Stolen” is poised to become a streaming milestone—one that lingers in viewers’ minds long after the final frame fades to black.