No 1 Killed Jessica: review

Show Time: 6 pm
5:55 pm: A gang of youths enter the hall, and start catcalling, creating hullabaloo, shouting.
6:05 pm: the film starts..and I could hear any of Rani's narration throughout the title track thanks to their catcalls and passing comments and all. I thought..here goes my filmwatching.
8.20 pm: Film ends. These are the group of people who clapped the loudest at the scenes which deserved applause. They were the ones who shouted the most when someone in the film fought against the wrong doers.

That, I think speaks a lot about the film...

No one Killed Jessica. A film in the news for many reasons. Rani Mukherjee's comeback. Rani and Vidya together. Censor board. Raj Kumar Gupta's film after Aamir. Jessica Lal Case. Rani's foul mouth. etc etc etc.

The film starts with Sabrina (Vidya Balan) getting a call about Jessica(Myra) being shot. There were almost 300 people over there, but none are ready to divulge the truth. Of the seven prime witnesses, each have been silenced by money and threat. Sabrina's journey of justice fails...even the police officer (Rajesh Sharma) accepts that he has been bribed, and has nothing to do. After 7 long years, in steps the daring journalist, Meera (Rani Mukherjee). Through her clever plans,and a police officer's passive help, she extracts the truth from these witnesses, and exposes them through the media.

Director Raj Kumar Gupta, whose Aamir was widely accalaimed as a model of realistic cinema, falls a little short of his raised bar. That does not mean that NOKJ is not a good movie. Its brilliant. But a few cinematic cliches lose him some points. His screenplay is brilliant, particularly in the first half. The court sequences never drag on, inspite of being prolonged: they are admixed with correct proportions of seriousness and humor. Sabrina's role has been brilliantly written-her pains, her sorrows, and her strengths have been aptly depicted. You feel for her, you root for her, in spite of knowing the reality.

I felt that the pitfall lies in Rani Mukherjee's role as a journalist. She's bitchy, she's straightforward, but somewhere down the line, I felt, that its forced. Not that I didnt enjoy it- she has the best lines in the film..she's the scenestealer, but somewhere, her character could have been well defined.

Raj Kumar Gupta is a brilliant director, and each scene has been executed with outmost realism. In Sabrina's part, the silence speak a lot, and these scenes have been well executed. Two of my favourite scenes are Meera's confrontation with Sabrina at her home, and Sabrina's emotions, when she realizes that each of the witnesses have tossed their opinions in fear. Editing is excellent and apt, particularly the non linear parts and cinematography is real...you feel like being there in person. Delhi has been captured at its best, and so have been the contrasts of high society and the low one. However, I did not like Sabyasachi Mukherjee's costumes..particularly for Vidya Balan.

As for acting, I felt one person who stands out is Rajesh Sharma as the police officer. His frustrations on not being able to punish the criminal despite having all proofs are real, and the actor has etched it out very finely. In each frame he's in, he steals the show. Vidya Balan has the meatiest role as Sabrina, but she's not totally perfect- in parts, I felt she needed to emote more. But she was brilliant in a few scenes, just as I mentioned, in Meera's confrontation with Sabrina. Or in the scene where she gets interviewed by NDTV: she acts like a pro amateur in front of camera. Rani Mukherjee, despite being burdened with a not-so-well-etched role, enacts with brilliance and confidence. This is her best performance next to Black. She's well at ease with her character, and mixes a perfect blend of determination and extrovertness. She sets the screen on fire in every scene she is in. Wish her role was more cooked. Myra as Jessica is also very good as an amateur.

The film borrows a scene from Rang De Basanti, to show how people were influenced by RDB to protest in the Jessica case. Todays's is an age of sms's and social network, and the film shows how the youth can be united through these mediums. I did expect a little more from the film in terms of its making, but nevertheless, if you are socially aware, you should watch this film-its not only about Jessica, but its about the determination of Sabrina to fight, how she gives up, and how the media helps her find success. Qudos.