A searing screenplay threatens to burn up all commonly held theories of the real life case. Crackling writing, well researched script that treads the dangerous edge of almost delivering a judgement on the biggest botched case of Indian civilian crime history
Distanced incidents generally have a cursory impact on our minds. The remoteness from the incidents and the subjects, creates a chilling indifference and a casual judgement in our minds about the people involved. The double murder case in Delhi was one such. Most of us including me have been personally guilty of casually absorbing details served to us by the investigating agencies and the courts resolute in our belief then that the agencies involved truly come up with irrefutable conclusions to the cases they handle. Again a view propounded by heroic stories of these agencies in our movies. Distance does create a blurred vision. As you get on with the hurly burly of life you also give into accepting graphic details of lurid behavior in ordinary people perhaps because it caters to your need to be surprised. And perhaps also because it is easy to devour gossip. Helps to give you a closure on an uncomfortable theory of parents potentially murdering their children. You do not want to believe that happened. And if it indeed happened then perhaps it was because the people had dirty stories in their closet. Convenient to use that appendage to prop up our own sense of relief that it was not a natural order of things.
Meghna and Vishal with Talvar use that rusted sword of justice as a clever proxy to prod you wide awake and whisper, without any clear intention to conclude, that, perhaps there is more to it that needs your attention. That perhaps this has happened to ordinary people, like you, who went about their daily life as joyously as you did without any dark deeds till fate struck them a tragic blow and then things went downhill. And that is when it hits you, that we live in a humoungsly imperfect society especially in our country. You want to pray that you never ever have to deal with a dangerous system should anything unfortunate happen that requires intervention from the governance. Everything about the system seems to be flawed. Is it a wrong people or the wrong system? Is it a perfect system with dangerous people or is it a flawed system with good people trying to make their best of it. The answer seems to lie somewhere in between
We had sunk into our sofas content in sniggering at the upper middle class professional families and their lurid and lusty lifestyles. It was fed to us by the media who in turn were fed by the system. You cringed as you dined watching the seemingly impassionate couple not display enough sorrow as perhaps you would have wanted to. That one lacuna in empathetic behavior seemed to confirm to the vast majority of us that there was more to it than they revealed. She did not cry. How debased is our feeling?
Thanks to creative stalwarts like Meghna and Vishal who worked for three years researching to an extent with impartial integrity all sides of the story leading up to the double murder case of the daughter Delhi family of dentists and their resident servant. Every cast member in this brilliantly and honestly scripted movie is outstanding. Commencing from the bumbling police officer eager to help his superior close the case with a convenient theory of honor killing after the 13 year old girl is found murdered in her home by her own parents. Not really classic behavior for potential killers really. The first suspect the servant himself is found dead a day later on the locked terrace. It seems astounding today that no one thought of investigating the terrace just a floor above.
It is good fortune to an extent that an honest officer brought in by the investigating agency flips the police theory on its head and ascribes the guilt to the servant’s friends who are since free. Thanks to sick politics and a case of one upmanship the case is sought to be debunked by their own people and a second team investigates and tries to dump the original theory.
I have not seen a more critical analysis of a real life murder and its aftermath on the screen before. It is morbid but makes you feel comfortable that all hope is not lost yet. That there are people in the industry for who the art is still to be used to furthering fairness and goodness in society and not just serve as mindless entertainment. To use art as a medium to make critical commentary and softly challenge judgements without treading on fault lines and risking contempt of court.
Konkana Sen and Neeraj Kabi as the parents, Prakash Belawade as the retiring agency head, Atul Kumar, Sohum Shah, the actors playing the suspected murderers, every member of the cast playing bit roles impressively excel in their realistic portrayal. The credit for that goes perhaps to the director and the producer- writer for taking the pains to extricate those performances. Everything seems so real. It reinforces the theory that I hold about great movies being those where not only the leading cast performs but each and every character that fills in the creative space on the screen making it a wholesome experience.
And when you leave the theatre you are left with a ceaseless applause for that marvel of an actor Irfan. Displaying simple nuances. Watch him make wry remarks, playing with his glasses, smirking on video games as he interrogates a potential suspect. The terrific ensemble lead by the inimitable Irfan exhibits what artistry in cinema is about. And then that unforgettable climax scene where agencies debate various theories. A rocking scene which I can safely say is one of the best I have ever seen in a Hindi film. So well written so well enacted. One may want to watch the movie again just for that one scene. Brilliant scripting.
The movie may not only serve as an ingredient for heated debates on the weekends but perhaps instigate a relook at the whole case from a new angle with pressure building up from the masses and not just relegated to good mood days of a few investigating or judging authorities.
The movie does equal justice to all the angles trying to play an impartial role as a medium just bringing the theories to you but the nudge wink effort towards one angle is not lost on the audience and we know where our sympathies will lie till proven otherwise. If this movie manages to change the course of events I think a round of applause to the people behind this creative work led by Vishal Bharadwaj and Meghna Gulzar is in order
Watch it to know that justice denied should be a cross to carry for a nation with conscience.