Friday, January 14, 2011

NO ONE KILLED JESSICA


I don’t wish to write movie reviews here! Let’s say- I just want to be a part of it, as I too am one among the thousands, who signed in my name in the forwarded e-mail petitions for the cause “Justice for Jessica”!

The inspector says-“Maine bhi liye the sattar lakh, uspe haath na utaane ke liye”…

I saw a man there, who was totally crunched by the system- helpless and angry at himself for being so. I saw a man afraid of what example he could be to his son. I saw in his eyes, a cold, raw hatred for a murderer- who murdered a woman who had refused him ‘a drink’, even after he offered a ‘1000 bucks’! The helpless inspector, bound by money- forced not to raise his hands at the man- for whom a life was cheaper than a ‘glass of drink’!

A performance, in its best, nevertheless- it was for me, very real. I imagined myself in front of ‘Manu Sharma’ or ‘S.P.S. Rathore’ or ‘Amarmani Tripathi’ or ‘Santosh Kumar Singh’ or ‘Moninder Singh Pandher’. How would I react to their presence? How would I feel if there were people threatening to kill my family if I reacted in front of them? It was suffocating.

A high profile lawyer discusses what all needs to be ‘taken care’ of. The ‘bullets’ at the Forensic lab needs to be altered. The man assigned the ‘task’- says nothing- gestures of complete understanding- which just conveys- “I know what to do. Forget about them…” Makes me wonder in awe at the power of ‘Power’! Is it that simple? All the hue and cry, ‘aam junta’ hoping that things will all be fine someday- it that all bogus?

300 witnesses saw nothing. Sitting there, at the cinema hall and watching the scene, which was very much what had happened during the actual Jessica Lall trial- made me think of SPS Rathore, smiling as he walked out of the court after a 19 year trial’s verdict was announced- 6 months prison (though he had the bail in hand in minutes) and Rs. 1000 penalty?! Is this the judiciary system of this country? Is this what we call “Mera Bharat Mahaan”?

I wouldn’t call this a movie. It was very much the fact- just the names of people changed. For someone who had followed the case ever since the ‘Justice for Jessica’ cause came into motion- at least for me, it all looked very much real! Be it Shayan Munshi.. that is, Vikram Jai- in the movie- a Bollywood actor who claims in court that he does not know Hindi! It was very much real!

“Justice for Jessica”- prevailed. Candles may have melted, but the fire still burnt deep down in the minds of thousands of ‘aam junta’ who were only waiting for something such as this to happen. Often times, the older generation accuses the younger ones of being ‘irresponsible’ and ‘callous’. They say- during their times, in our age, they were ‘fighting for a cause’!

Youth today are fragile. More than that- they are not aware! When I was talking to a colleague that there was a movie based on Jessica Lall murder case, I got a reply- “Who is Jessica”? They can’t be blamed. Youth today have so many other attractions/distractions. There is a media that glorifies glamour and entertainment becomes the ultimate quest! There are malls and disposable income. There is ‘Munni’ and ‘Sheila ki Jawani’! The older generation had none of these. Their youth was filled with ‘partition’, ‘unemployment’ and ‘Emergency’! There was a radio, perhaps. That’s it!

‘Give us a cause’. We don’t know what to do. ‘Lead us’. That’s all we say. There was a ‘cause’- and we did what was right for it. Media proves it’s might throughout the Jessica case! There have been allegations that “media has been acting judge”. There was even a scene in the movie that portrays this aspect. Sure it does. We just saw an instance of “media acting judiciary” in the Arushi - Hemraj double murder case! Yes, media is over-enthusiastic. Yes, it is intruding. Yes, they can stoop down to ‘get stories’ (Yes, yes- I’m talking about the ‘Radia’ tapes). But despite all that- media has become a medium to help our voices be heard. We appreciate media for that. We do.

Not even 50% of the cinema hall was full. But sure, this was a movie that re-ignites the minds of the people for a girl ‘who was shot for refusing a drink’. Watch it, people. It may not be as good as ‘Sheila ki Jawani’- but again, if that’s all what you like, this is not a movie for you!


22 comments:

pichaikaaran said...

understand no. Pliis tamil wrait . Me inglish no no

Blasphemous Aesthete said...

Perhaps I will see this movie after having read a few positive reviews (that's all I have read, no negative reviews).
Media has a responsibility to hold. Sometimes, it acts like an overenthusiastic child and steps in places it should not. But the role of media is not to be denied at all.

Jessica died, not once, but many times. Every time her name is taken up, she dies, because that is what had happened. Every time anybody would see the movie, she'll die numerous deaths. But let her deaths ensure, No More Jessicas.
So that no one kills another Jessica again.

Regards,
Blasphemous Aesthete

Anonymous said...

A very positive review here... I'll watch it for sure.... :)

Tanishka

PULKIT said...

I haven't seen this movie so far... everyone who has seen it, have told me to do catch it once...
anyways... U have a beautiful blog here , loves the template

Irfanuddin said...

totally agree here wid Blasphemous.... whtevr hapnd to Jessica shouldn't b repeated again for ne1 else... this must b ensured by the authorites as well as by the ppl of the nation, oderwise what is the use of screening such movies....
BTW, i m 1st time here on ur space...happy 2 b here... very well narrated post...wil be here again to see ur previous post, whenever posble.

Simran said...

Liked your views...I am impressed with you by your thoughts and questions you raised upon it!!
Really media plays a big role in making people aware of events..

Your post made me eager to watch this movie..

Keep Smiling and take care :)

Alka Gurha said...

I wish there was justice for Arushi too...Great review...will watch the movie soon.

Anonymous said...

Very well written. Intense, powerful.
But I'll leave with these lines which have found a resonance in me.

"The hole in me may be dark and deep but I've got little time to cry or weep
Happy I'm, to be born with the hole Than pretend to be pure and live, sans a soul..."

Rià said...

Loved the way u hav written this post...yes i liked the movie too...for the plain reason that they dint try to contort the facts to that extent.

Resurgence said...

Liked the way you narrated the dilemma of the police officer in charge of the case - and yes, media has given us a voice after all. I found the movie a bit simplistic though effective and sincere in its objective... Regarding the youth... I am not sure if it is really the distraction or something else

Matangi Mawley said...

@ parvaialan...

thanks for visiting...

Matangi Mawley said...

@ blasphemous...

"Jessica died, not once, but many times."

that's very true!

Matangi Mawley said...

@tanishka...

thanks!

Matangi Mawley said...

@ pulkit...

thanks!

Matangi Mawley said...

@ irfan...

thanks!

Matangi Mawley said...

@simran...

thanks!

Matangi Mawley said...

@alka...

thanks!

Matangi Mawley said...

@ajay...

thanks!

Matangi Mawley said...

@ria...

thanks!

Matangi Mawley said...

@resurgence....

thanks!

gayathri vishwanathan said...

I saw this movie and was happy that it was not melodramatic and the facts were kept intact...but as I wrote in my blog...Jessica Lal is just one of those high profile murders that media gave importance to...there are so many murders taking place all over India, there are several witnesses too...but is justice meted out to them? No, reason being that there is no public pressure.

According to me...Jessica got justice just because of public pressure, had public not reacted Jessica would have just been a closed unresolved case.

Matangi Mawley said...

@gayathri...

that's true!