The problem I had with the movie was that there were a dozen movie plots crammed into 125 minutes, including several documentaries.
I found the story line confusing and the horrific leaps from child maiming and prostitution and police brutality to comedy (the filling of bottled water in the restaurant kitchen) more distracting than helpful. I thought the early scenes with the little kids were moving and beautifully cast, however.
The story would have worked better as a 12 hour Masterpiece Theater, IMO.
But I am going to read the book, entitled Q and A. An extraordinary novel about India is A FINE BALANCE, by Rohington Mistry. It covers many of the same issues (religious and caste intolerance, corrupt police, the mutilation of children, the socioeconomic turmoil) but during 1975–1977 only.