In an era when mainstream Indian cinema increasingly embraces stories rooted in harsh realities rather than escapism, Human Cocaine emerges as one of the boldest, most unsettling films of 2026. Written and directed by Sarim Momin, this Hindi‑language thriller drama refuses to soften its narrative or offer the audience an easy escape. Instead, it immerses viewers into a chilling world where desperation, exploitation, and violence blur into one unrelenting nightmare.
Released theatrically on January 30, 2026, Human Cocaine has already entered conversations as one of the most intense cinematic experiences of the year — a film that doesn’t just entertain but confronts.
A Premise That Stings Before the Credits Roll
At its heart, Human Cocaine is presented less as a conventional plot and more as a psychological descent. The film follows Arjun, a UK‑based taxi driver struggling to make ends meet and desperate to reunite with his family. In a bid to solve his financial problems, Arjun accepts what seems like a straightforward delivery job offering an exceptionally large sum of money.
But nothing is simple in this world. Along the way, he picks up Liza, a hitchhiker whose presence marks the beginning of a journey that is as terrifying as it is cryptic. What Arjun doesn’t realize until it’s too late is that he has walked straight into the grip of a powerful and brutal crime syndicate. In this underworld, people aren’t just trafficked — they are used. Human bodies become the most fragile, volatile vessels in the creation of a new, highly priced variant of cocaine — a process that is as disturbing as the title suggests.
The plot unfolds with palpable dread, forcing the audience to confront truths about exploitation and desperation that society too often chooses to ignore. It’s a world where morality is a luxury few can afford, and survival becomes the only currency that matters.
Performances That Haunt Long After the Film Ends
One of the most striking aspects of Human Cocaine is its cast — a combination of Indian talent and international performers that lends the film a raw, unpredictable energy. Leading the charge is Pushkar Jog, who gives what may be his most harrowing performance to date. Arjun’s journey from hopeful provider to trapped captive is portrayed with an authenticity that feels disturbingly palpable. Jog has described the role as one of the most demanding of his career, noting that the emotions — fear, anger, helplessness — stayed with him long after filming concluded.
Opposite him, Ishita Raj delivers a startling transformation from the lighter roles that defined much of her earlier screen persona. As Liza, she brings vulnerability and emotional depth to a character thrust into terror and uncertainty. Her chemistry with Jog remains consistently tense, making every interaction feel urgent and unpredictable.
Siddhanth Kapoor, meanwhile, commands attention with an appearance and performance that are both unconventional and enigmatic. His portrayal adds a layer of mystery and edge to the narrative — one that feels intentionally disorienting, signaling that nothing about this world is straightforward.
And then there’s Zakir Hussain, the veteran actor whose mere presence electrifies the screen. Whether he is menacing or quietly observing, Hussain brings an intensity that elevates scenes that might have otherwise felt overdone. His role, while not always central to the plot’s mechanics, serves as a stark reminder of how deeply criminality and brutality can be embedded in seemingly ordinary figures.
With a supporting ensemble that includes British actors woven into the narrative, the film feels global in scope — not merely a story about crime but a commentary on the universal structures of exploitation and power.
Behind the Camera: Crafting an Immersive, Disturbing World
Visually and technically, Human Cocaine is a formidable piece of filmmaking. Shot extensively across the United Kingdom, the film’s international settings lend it an aesthetic sensibility far removed from the typical domestic frameworks of Hindi cinema.
Cinematographer Sopan Purandare uses light and shadow to full effect, creating scenes where danger lurks just outside the frame and innocence seems perpetually at risk. The film rarely offers comfort through visual symmetry. Instead, it crafts sequences with an unsettling edge that keeps viewers tense and engaged.
Editor Sandeep Francis manages pacing with tight control, allowing scenes of psychological horror to breathe without losing narrative momentum. The editing choices often replicate the protagonist’s own disorientation — there are moments where the world seems to shift beneath the characters’ feet, echoing the audience’s growing sense of unease.
Adding another layer to the film’s emotional impact is composer Kshitij Tarey’s gripping score. The music doesn’t just underscore scenes of peril — it amplifies them, creating a soundscape that feels intrusive and inescapable, much like the film’s broader themes.
Even the choreography work by Pawan Shetty and Khalid Sheikh — while unusual for a thriller — contributes to moments where physicality itself becomes a language of tension and release. These elements, combined, make Human Cocaine not just a narrative experience but a visceral one.
Narrative Depth: A Story That Refuses to Be Comfortable
What distinguishes Human Cocaine from many entries in the crime thriller genre is its willingness to remain uncomfortable. It doesn’t just depict violence — it interrogates it. The film exposes the mechanisms behind exploitation, not merely as abstract criminal activity but as a human cost that rarely gets acknowledged.
Director Sarim Momin has been quoted saying that the film is meant to “unsettle, provoke thought and spark conversation”, emphasizing that each character represents a truth often hidden from society.
This intention shows in every scene. From Arjun’s moral unraveling to the film’s stark confrontations with organized crime, there’s never a moment where the audience can comfortably detach. The narrative demands engagement — often reluctant, sometimes repulsed — but never passive. Instead of neat resolutions, the film leaves us with questions about complicity, desperation, and the blurry line between survival and surrender.
It is telling that Human Cocaine doesn’t shy away from showing how ordinary people become enmeshed in terrifying systems. Whether out of necessity, naivety, or coercion, the characters are consistently tested — and often broken. This thematic focus on the fragility of human agency is what gives the film its emotional punch.
The Harsh Reality and Its Echoes
The film’s inspiration — rooted in disturbing real incidents — gives Human Cocaine a documentary‑like weight. It’s not just fiction; it’s a mirror held up to the societal shadows many prefer to overlook. It forces the viewer to ask uncomfortable questions: How far would you go to save your family? What price are you willing to pay for hope? (The Week)
These questions resonate long after the credits roll. There are moments when the sheer brutality of the plot seems almost too much to bear, yet there’s also a relentless humanity at the core of the narrative that refuses to let the audience disengage.
Performances Anchoring a Harrowing Experience
Where Human Cocaine truly excels is in its performances — particularly that of Pushkar Jog. His portrayal of Arjun is evocative of a man caught between desperation and dignity, a character who begins in search of opportunity and ends trapped in a nightmare that eclipses his sense of self. Jog’s commitment to the role — including immersive workshops that helped him embody psychological chaos — pays off in a performance that feels lived‑in and raw. (FilmiBeat)
Ishita Raj’s turn as Liza is equally compelling. Her character’s vulnerability doesn’t feel flimsy; rather, it’s a deliberate exposure of each of her emotional fractures. In scenes of captivity and confrontation, Raj offers an emotional grounding that makes her one of the most memorable aspects of the film. (The Wire)
Siddhanth Kapoor’s mysterious portrayal adds an unpredictable energy, challenging audience expectations at every turn. And Zakir Hussain, with his seasoned intensity, brings an almost palpable threat to scenes that could otherwise have fallen into genre clichés. (The Wire)
Supporting performances from the ensemble of British actors — though less spotlighted — help situate the narrative within a broader, multinational context, emphasizing that these crimes and exploitative machinations are not isolated to any single culture or geography. (The Week)
Where the Film Pushes Boundaries — and Where It Falters
Even as Human Cocaine achieves much of what it sets out to accomplish, it is not without its flaws. Its unrelenting bleakness may prove too intense for some viewers. This is not a film that allows for light moments or easy emotional respite. The narrative’s immersion in horror and psychological breakdown means that moments of levity — if they exist at all — feel almost out of place. For audiences seeking conventional thrills or catharsis, Human Cocaine might seem punishing.
Moreover, while its international sensibility is a strength, at times the story’s pacing suffers under the weight of its own ambition. With so many thematic strands — exploitation, crime syndicates, moral ambiguity, familial desperation — some narrative arcs feel only partially explored.
Yet in many ways, these imperfections are integral to the experience. The discomfort, the lack of neat conclusions, and the emotional heaviness all amplify the film’s purpose: to make the audience feel the world it depicts, not just watch it.
Final Thoughts: A Film That Demands Attention
Human Cocaine is not an easy film to watch. It is dark, disturbing, and persistent in its refusal to let viewers look away from its most brutal truths. But it is precisely this unflinching approach that makes it a watershed moment in contemporary Indian cinema.
Directed with fearless intent by Sarim Momin and anchored by powerhouse performances from Pushkar Jog, Ishita Raj, Siddhanth Kapoor, and Zakir Hussain, this film challenges conventions and shakes audiences out of complacency. It is a reminder that cinema’s power lies not only in entertainment but also in its capacity to provoke, disturb, and illuminate uncomfortable realities.
Human Cocaine is more than a thriller drama — it is a cinematic confrontation with the shadows of humanity, and an experience that stays with you long after the lights come up.