In 1999, Jessica Lal, an aspiring model was killed in a fit of drunken rage by Manu Sharma, a powerful politician’s son. This happened in a night-party at Delhi, which was attended by over a hundred prominent people. With practically no one ready to testify against him, Sharma first walked out scot-free, bending the system and using all possible legal loopholes. For years Sabrina Lal, the younger sister of Jessica relentlessly fought against this unjust verdict, only to realize the futility of fighting a corrupt system. But with the growing media and public pressure, even the ‘system’ had to change itself and Sharma was put behind the bars for life.

Mixing facts with fiction, director Rajkumar Gupta presents this David Versus Goliath kind of legal battle. The film begins promisingly but then loses its grip. The screenplay could have been tighter and the screen time much shorter.

Performance-wise Vidya Balan effectively plays the plane Jane-turned- legal crusader younger sister. Rani Mukherjee’s hotshot TV reporter is too loud and artificial. As a corrupt but good at heart police inspector Rajesh Sharma leaves his mark.

For me, the main flaw in the film was that the audience hardly gets to know and like Jessica. So it is hard to empathise with all the drama surrounding the murder. Still it is a film which manages to highlight the dark secrets of Delhi’s power corridors and how right amount of media and public action can make the corrupt wilt!