Cast: Vidya Balan, Rani Mukerji
Rating: 
Director: Raj Kumar Gupta
On April 29, 1999 a shot was fired from a .22 bore pistol whose loud reverberations lasted over a decade. The shot that killed a vivacious, aspiring model Jessica Lall was fired in the presence of more than 100 ‘socialites’ present at a party in New Delhi. Yet, accused Manu Sharma walked free in 2006 prompting a newspaper headline that read “No One Killed Jessica”.
In the ensuing decade, Venod Sharma, father of the accused and a high profile congress leader, paid millions of rupees to silence witnesses. It was not until the Tehelka Magazine did a sting investigation and Star News aired the footage that justice was finally served.
“No One Killed Jessica” faithfully follows the case to emerge a winner.
Almost everyone knows the story. Yet, the film makes some interesting departures to keep the momentum going. A Barkha Dutt type character has been introduced in Rani Mukerji though the former did not have much to do with the case or its reinstatement. However, Rani lacks the intensity to pull off such a strong role and the strain shows.
On the other hand, Vidya Balan soars with the unglamorous, distraught and hunchbacked portrayal of Jessica’s sister.
Director Raj Kumar Gupta makes direct comment on the society we live in, its voyeuristic tendencies and the judiciary’s disregard for justice. Everyone knows the extent of corruption and rot in the system as symptomised by the acquittal of Manu Sharma, but the question as always is who would bell the cat if the police and judiciary do not.
In this case Tehelka, who did the sting investigation and Star News (and not NDTV that walks away with the praises in the film) that aired the footages did manage to right a wrong. But the question is not just of Jessica Lall, but the thousands like her whose cases have not had the light of justice shine upon them.
The Jessica Lall murder thus became an emblem of the rot in the democracy, police and judiciary.
The truth is, the culprits were not just Manu Sharma, his friends and his family, but Shayan Munshi who redacted his statements leading to Manu’s acquittal and Bina Ramani, both of whom continue to have successful careers, one as an actor-model and the latter as a heedless socialite. The culprit is all of us who stay silent to the injustice all around us.
The injustice done in Jessica’s case has been corrected, but the question remains of the millions of other cases of injustice in the country.
Gupta’s film on a true incident bodes well for Bollywood, which is normally not too keen on reality, and the concept of justice itself. Yet, the question is not who killed Jessica Lall, but as the gross miscarriage of injustice in Kashmir, central and northeast India and the thousands of pending cases in the country show — it is: who killed justice in India?
-IANS
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the dude whose written this review may please check his facts as manu was not acquitted. Actually that’s the problem with society these days
… They’ll eat anything the media feeds them…
I thought it will be a good movie to watch but in fact a waste of time, nothing new in this movie same old fashioned issues. The movie could be dramatized in a great way but nothing was done properly. I also want to mention the ethics and language used in this movie. It was vulgar and very unethical. Not all the Journalists spent their life the way the lady did in that movie. In fact the life of that lady crossed the limits in western culture. Cannot believe all this happened in this movie. The lady who is shown a loose charter journalist with using a vulgar language how can she be that sensitive with a minor issue in her society where these issues are not noticed by even a soft heart person. This movie is a total flop and I will not recommend watching with family or even alone. Please try to make good clean entertainment.
The movie is such a waste of time. I was expecting and hoping that the script would take a turn but it is such a predictible boring storyline with nothing new. This same scrypt has already been played in an Ajay Devgan Movie in which he played the role of an actor, Sahil Khan…. That movie was a lot better … this movie is just a copy of the storyline but without any excitement.
OMG …. it was a waste of time and 250rs/- …. guys, Please dnt watch this movie …………………….even in CD it my humble request …
the movie is great made with precision those who dont like it are those who wants to see nothing more than singing and dancing around the tree.it was a good effort if you cant appreciate a film atleast dont criticise it guys, performance wise rani rocks and i did use to like vidya but now i can say she is a mini rani mukerji
well done guys
how many of u’ll know abt the feeling of loss. i did not name myself for this reason. how many more jessica lal case do we need to give them justice. it is a known fact that even in the arushie hatya kand it is her parents who murdered her, but they will never acknowledge. the film showcases justice and if you really know the feeling of loss you will feel for it.
it na about justice and all dat dear…..we kno how painful it is to losse someone…but this is movie ma….people expect entertainment..and no one killed jessica was such a pridictible movie..it was just a waste of money and precious time…! rani looked awesome and bold in the trailler..bt sadly she was nathing in the movie…! vidya was just okay in the movie….!!
I liked A LOT that movie!!! Great actresses, good story.
People: OF COURSE it’s predictable, you know from the start the bad guy will fall in the end thanks to the help of the journalist (Rani). Predictable doesn’t mean the movie is bad!!!!!!! The screenplay is well written, and the insertions of various flashbacks illustrating the relationship between Sabrina and her sister are very nicely done, and the flashbacks tastefully written. The story progresses rapidly and isn’t boring.
Lol at that comment by Waqar, saying Rani is vulgar in the movie. All that because she says “b*tch”, “shut up”, and is seen almost making out with a guy (they kiss, he began to take his jacket off, and they’re interrupted). Please Waqar, grow up. There’s nothing vulgar here. It’s a tiny tiny tiny bit raunchy if you want, but nothing more.