No One Killed Jessica Movie Review : Not to be Missed

Posted by admin on Jan 7th, 2011 | 0 comments

What a way to start 2011! The year opens on a very good note for Bollywood; ‘No One Killed Jessica’ modeled on a real life incident is skillfully molded with the entertainment factor to make for riveting cinema.

The story: A filthy rich spoiled brat goes to a socialite bar, and when denied drinks, shoot the waitress model (Jessica Lal). She dies while being admitted to the hospital. The influential father of the murderer uses all his political clout to ensure that his son does not land up in jail. So witnesses turn hostile and evidence is tampered. The accused, who is caught, is acquitted by the court of law. Meera, a no-nonsense reporter who revels in cuss language, does not take the case seriously but then plunges head-on in making sure that Jessica’s sister Sabrina Lal gets justice.

What works for No One Killed Jessica: You have seen this story many times especially in the recent Halla Bol, but in most of these films, this particular part thing was just a part of the story and was treated as a mechanism to move the plot forward. However in NOKJ, Rajkumar Gupta gives the movie, its due realistic treatment peppered with entertainment so that it does not look like a docu-drama. The first half stays true to real life while the second half is dramatized with the use of a fictionalized reporter who is said to be largely responsible in having the case reopened.

The vulnerability of a family, who is helpless even though it has truth on its side, is shown remarkably well. Special points should be given to the shooting incident and the drama leading to the courtroom scene; they have been done so well that it may be a lump-in-the-throat experience for a few people.

The scenes are kept short in length and the editing is crisp. The director uses several scenes very imaginatively to bring about the tense feeling of the protagonist, Sabrina Lal. One such incident is that she is walking along the road, so much lost in her mental chaos that she fails to see that there is an approaching elephant just ahead of her. The scene where Manu Sharma’s parents meet Jessica’s parents, are also shown in its cold element, strapping of all melodrama. The dialogues are to the point, non-compromising and acidic.

The soundtrack of the film by Amit Trivedi is brilliant, the cinematography is competent and the extreme ‘Ram Gopal Varma type’ close-ups in the court room seem to be a well-thought one.

UTV, the producers, do smart work and skillfully embed a scene from Rang De Basanti where the characters are shown taking candle-lights to stir a movement. This of course, is true, because this scene was a catalyst in garnering public support for the Jessica Lal case.

Performances in No One Killed Jessica: Vidya Balan is brilliant in the role of Sabrina Lal. She symbolizes the common man or woman’s fight for justice against all odds as much as she depicts the vulnerability of a commoner on the face of people who have political influence.

Rani Mukherji is superb as well, her character is artificial and glamorized, a far cry from the other elements in the film. But since, hers was the ‘entertainment’ factor in the film, Rani slips into the role like a glove and comes up with a remarkable performance. We would always like to have the talented actress come up with such gutsy roles. Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub in the role of Manu Sharma does not only look like the real guy but portrays his role well.

Every other character does a very good job, the special mentions being Neil Bhoopalam as the prime witness who turns hostile, Myra as Jessica Lal and Rajesh Sharma as the inspector in charge of the case.

Conclusion: Do not miss this fantastic piece of cinema by RajKumar Gupta.

Rating:****(Very Good)