The city moves on
"Everybody is everybody in Delhi but nobody is a nobody," That's what I felt was the punch line of the movie "No one killed Jessica." Based on the real life story of Jessica Lall, the movie depicts the entire episode of the murder of the model in Delhi. There is not an inch of a doubt that all the audiences to the movie had already known what the movie was about to show, but i am sure not many of them would have known the suffering that the victim's family had gone through over those years of fighting for justice.
The movie aptly depicts how the so-called "high class" society of the India's capital survive and have been surviving irrespective of what happens around them; despite the fact that the matter in concern involves them as well. It is indeed impossible to understand the people of Delhi with its increasing mixed breed of people from all across the country. Who is who? here, in this city? no one knows. However, everyone is someone's someone here, trying to make a stand in the city, which can hardly be called their own.
Who does not know what happened in the Jessica Lall murder case? How the accused were first let off and then due to the immense hue and cry made by the media, the case was reopened and finally justice was done. It is hard to understand that with such an easy open and shut case with hundreds of witnesses, how the judgment took so long to be given. Does that put a question mark on the credibility of our judiciary, our investigation departments and of course the people?; the witnesses who turned hostile just at the right moment, when a judgement that could have been rendered within a particular year takes a number of years to come out? And that too, after the entire nation puts pressure on the authorities who should ideally act before such a protest begins.
The Jessica Lall murder case is just a case out of the millions of cases that go unnoticed by the citizens. There are millions of such families like the Lall's, whose lives turn upside down running between home and court. Will anyone ever understand that? I doubt so, Because those who should understand do not pay heed to what the citizens go through. For them, it is just another case that forms a regular feature of a court room.
The director, Raj Kumar Gupta, has tried his best to showcase in the movie the reality that can actually bite those who have tried to evade the truth since long. I wonder even if the witnesses who turned hostile in the case, go and watch the movie, but would they feel even an inch of guilt that they perhaps should of what they did? They would not! Why? Because they have moved on in their lives beyond the walls of the court room and Jessica Chapter! What they probably have in their life as of now, or rather their priority in life at the present instance is, or would be, may be organizing a few more of such parties and then playing mere spectator in the drama that unfolds later on.
The movie aptly depicts how the so-called "high class" society of the India's capital survive and have been surviving irrespective of what happens around them; despite the fact that the matter in concern involves them as well. It is indeed impossible to understand the people of Delhi with its increasing mixed breed of people from all across the country. Who is who? here, in this city? no one knows. However, everyone is someone's someone here, trying to make a stand in the city, which can hardly be called their own.
Who does not know what happened in the Jessica Lall murder case? How the accused were first let off and then due to the immense hue and cry made by the media, the case was reopened and finally justice was done. It is hard to understand that with such an easy open and shut case with hundreds of witnesses, how the judgment took so long to be given. Does that put a question mark on the credibility of our judiciary, our investigation departments and of course the people?; the witnesses who turned hostile just at the right moment, when a judgement that could have been rendered within a particular year takes a number of years to come out? And that too, after the entire nation puts pressure on the authorities who should ideally act before such a protest begins.
The Jessica Lall murder case is just a case out of the millions of cases that go unnoticed by the citizens. There are millions of such families like the Lall's, whose lives turn upside down running between home and court. Will anyone ever understand that? I doubt so, Because those who should understand do not pay heed to what the citizens go through. For them, it is just another case that forms a regular feature of a court room.
The director, Raj Kumar Gupta, has tried his best to showcase in the movie the reality that can actually bite those who have tried to evade the truth since long. I wonder even if the witnesses who turned hostile in the case, go and watch the movie, but would they feel even an inch of guilt that they perhaps should of what they did? They would not! Why? Because they have moved on in their lives beyond the walls of the court room and Jessica Chapter! What they probably have in their life as of now, or rather their priority in life at the present instance is, or would be, may be organizing a few more of such parties and then playing mere spectator in the drama that unfolds later on.
send it to the newspapers
ReplyDeleteErm, well thought undoubtedly, but just seems like a kid's rant after watching a play that cried "injustice."
ReplyDeleteYou can make a deeper impact by using more profound words firstly, and secondly, think deeper. I ain't taking sides, but what if you were you were a witness and your family/loved ones were getting threatening calls? What if you were under fear that was orbiting your life 24/7?
Thirdly, strangely enough, I see you writing your anger at the witnesses, I don't see you writing your anger at Manu Sharma, or the police who never provided proper security/protection to the prime witnesses (which could be a discrepancy; cuz if you did, then, well, it wasn't conspicuous enough). Fourthly, think of it from a psychological point of view. If you're a witness to such a crime, and your family gets threatening calls, then, at that point, you obviously would subject yourself to a guilt trip: "Why should my family/loved ones be in such agony cuz of me? Why should they suffer cuz I was at the party? Or even if the politicians are threatening me, what has my family done to bear my death if they shoot me for telling the truth in the court?"
Like I said, think of it psychologically.
True, that by admitting what really happened, you're serving the country, and more so, you're doing a big favour to the family of the deceased. But, and this is a more personal question, can you put your family's life at stake for saving the integrity of the court/nation?
ReplyDeleteDon't give me a theoretical answer for this. Think it through.
Nice...
ReplyDeletewotever u wrote is nice sneha..!!i like it...dis is wot u felt after watchin no one killed jessica...bt i smewhre agree wd shaurya too...dat you can use some more powreful words to describe wotevr u saw..!!thank you...bt i loved it...ten on ten....!!:):)
ReplyDeleteYes I agree with you Shaurya! If I come to think of it from the point of view of my being at the same place, might be, i would have done the same. But, atleast i would have also brought it into the notice of those who are supposed to provide us with the security especially in matters like these, which I think, was not done by any of the witnesses in the present case. If they had done so, probably they would not have changed their stand. Also, Does n't this imply that they chose to stay mum because of the threat and not fight it out against their oppressors and bring it to the notice of the concerned authorities. Yes, you need to think of your family and friends, agreed but not for the sake of money at least.
ReplyDeleteAnd also, the witnesses if they so feared for their life, then they should not have given the statements at all when questioned by police. Its better to stay mum than to speak up and then take your words back.
ReplyDeleteAt the stake of money, you say? A guy who earns barely 5000 a month and has to support his family, going through all the turbulences of life, where he's abused financially, exploited, don't you think getting 25 lakh in one shot is something he'd want? Maybe you and I can't understand the helplessness of a guy who has to support a family of 4/5 people on a monthly income of not more than 5000 bucks, Sneha. Secondly, I don't think Shyam Munchi had issues with money, you heard the guy who played Shyam Munshi: "Mujhe 1 crore nahi chahiye, par mujhe ek goli bhi nahi chahiye."
ReplyDeleteSecondly, as much as I believe the witnesses should've stepped up, but when you're a witness, then you FEAR going to the police, because, you wouldn't want to get involved AT ALL. Take a simple fight on the streets for example, if you've witnessed the fight, the first instinct of a typical Indian is to flee the sight, and not be involved.
One think you have to understand, we're all mad at the case cuz it took 11 years. At the time when it happened, everyone (like Rani Mukherji) thought it was an open and shut case, it wouldn't have dramatized, and the madness that you have against everyone regarding this, awouldn't have been this, which people never took so seriously. It's only after so much drama happened that there was some involvement shown.
It was all wrong. But at the MOST fundamental level, it's as wrong as J crossing, which all of us do.