Movie Review: No One Killed Jassica…

[Salman Mushtaq]

Director: Raj Kumar Gupta
Banner: UTV Spot Boy
Producer: Ronnie Screwvala
Cinematagrophy: Anay Goswamy
Editor: Aarti Bajaj
Music: Amit Trivedi
Cast: Rani Mukerji as Meera Gaity, Vidya Balan as Sabrina Lall, Randeep Hooda, Neil Bhoopalam as Vikram Jai Singh, Myra as Jessica.
Grade-A: <em>Wah! Kya Film Hai
A decade ago, the cold blooded murder of an aspiring model Jassica Lall, in the view of more than 300 ‘socialites’, and the accused walking away scot free, shook the very foundations of the justice system of our nation. The memory of this scintillating murder faded away with time, but has now been refreshed by director Raj Kumar Gupta, through the flick ‘No One Killed Jassica’.
April 29, 1999 a bullet fired from a .22 bore pistol at point blank range, killed Jassica on the spot, leaving the on-lookers stunned. The accused Manu Sharma, the pampered son of a leading Politician, brought doom on himself when he considered a human life cheaper than his drink. Money exchanged hands and the evidence was made to disappear at a crucial time. The witnesses when contacted, opted for a safe route, reeling out an orchestrated statements..“I’m not too sure” or “I left at 12“. This left Jassica’s 22 year old sister Sabrina (Vidya Balan) thirsting more for justice. Manu walked free in 2006, prompting a newspaper headline that read ‘No One Killed Jessica’. This sentence lead to the re opening of the case.
Awakened at dawn by a telephone call, the bespectacled, unglamorous Sabrina was in for a rude shock- HER SISTER’S GRUESOME MURDER. Sabrina runs from pillar to post seeking justice for her sister, not knowing the ways of money and power. She completely dominates the first half of the movie fighting for justice and taking care of her heart broken parents.
Introducing Rani Mukherjee as Mira, a head strong and catty reporter, who initially lacked interest in the murder, thinking it to be an open and shut case. She later takes complete charge of it as she felt justice had been denied and she couldn’t live with it.
The death of Sabrina’s mom and her dad being hospitalized led to Sabrina giving up hope. On the other hand, Mira was hell bent upon bringing the buried case to light. Through the media she evoked the entire nation and after a prolonged battle of eleven years, on 19 April 2010, the Supreme Court of India approved the life sentence for the guilty.
The movie takes on different aspects of reality, not excluding the F word and the desi G word. Rani Mukherjee was shown puffing on smokes. There was a touch of humor with the murder’s mother’s constantly whining “mere Monu ko kucch nahin hona chahiye” and Rani mouthing profanity. The flick was crisp and to the point. The movie is a spot on winner with Rani and Vidya doing complete justice to their respective roles. Amit Trivedi’s music, particularly the ‘Dilli Dilli’ number, stands out from the rest.
Gupta’s film portrays the fragile justice system of the nation, the power of the media and the influence of money, out-weighing problems. No One Killed Jessica is a film that everyone but kids below 18 must watch.