Few Indians are aware of the number of suicides that occur in Indian Hostels as a result of the phenomenon termed as 'Ragging'. This sadistic practice has become a ritual wherein students are beaten up, stripped, paraded naked, starved, tortured, molested and even raped by their seniors. Since victims of ragging find it humiliating to report sexual abuse to their parents or others, most ragging-related crimes go unreported. Sadly, these very students - who suffer silently at the hands of their seniors - in turn vent their frustrations by ragging their juniors in the following years. Thus, this cruel practice continues year after year and has claimed (and is still claiming) the lives and careers of innumerable students. The film 'Hostel' is a shocking eye-opener about this evil practice and is a wake-up call for all of us