Its difficult to review this film without playing a devils advocate as the film intention will divide the audience and invoke a different emotions. It all depends up on the way you look at this film as Law and Justice has always been and will remain as a debatable subject. The film begins with a renowned lawyer giving a speech to law students with a remark ‘Law is a fact, justice is abstract' and backing that up with the Nirbhaya Rape case verdict to prove his point. How many will vote and agree with that statement. There are two school of thoughts about this statement whether justice is part of law or is simply a moral judgment about law. So the question is, should judges decide cases according to justice and or according to law? In the end, this film take a specific stand on that statement which many may disagree. This films also question the fundamentals of democracy that it's better to let a guilty man go free than to convict an innocent man. Will justice always play in favor of democracy? How many times we have seen and hear victims , law enforcers argue that justice fails them. The simple fact is that every solution involves sacrifices for some and in this case either Law or Justice needs a sacrifice.
Now coming to the film synopsis itself, most of the people will be familiar with what Section 375 is all by now. This film focuses on the courtroom drama and some external factors influencing the final decision making process. In the process, it also highlights loop holes in the system and how people can use/misuse those to get a desired outcome. A film whose action takes almost completely in the deliberation room may sound as if it's going to be boring, but on the contrary this one really provided the tension through a reasonable well researched script backed by some great performance. While Khanna was damn good, i felt Chadha unimpressive and to my surprise the judges were much better than her in delivering the casual humor subtly.
Coming to the devils advocacy, in this modern age where Me Too movement taking a strong leap forward and as the country is witnessing a change in moral concepts, this film may be seen as step down factor on the voice and courage. Personally i feel the goal should always be Justice and Law should be an enabler to reach that goal. Can a just order exist or can one be devised? But sadly enough, I see no clear, unambiguous, moral answer. I dont think, Justice can be devised in this cruel world as long as people are morally sinful and selfish. So there will always be situations in which one man's justice is another man's outrage.
Verdict - 3.5/5(In the Quest For Justice)