Karnataka   

A reality check on the Indian prison system

Jail (Hindi)

Cast: Neil Nitin Mukesh, Mugdha Godse, Manoj Bajpai Director: Madhur Bhandarkar

Madhur Bhandarkar’s journey into the dark corners of society continues. This time he stops at a jail to give us a reality check. It is the ultimate ignominy for many to spend even a night in prison but some are forced to spend sleepless nights for years in our jails. Parag Dixit (Neil Nitin Mukesh) is one of them. A young chap rising in life gets caught in a drug-peddling case, courtesy his roommate. Apparently the evidence is against him and there aren’t many to stand by him apart from his girlfriend (Mugdha Godse) and his mother. As Parag is sent into custody of different kinds, Madhur opens the doors of a closed world to us. Slowly but surely Madhur drills into our conscience that it could happen to anybody. He questions whether jails are for reform or a ground to germinate criminals or resentment again the system. The tardy legal process takes so long to deliver justice that the sense of right and wrong begins to blur. . For once a mainstream director has portrayed Indian courts in a realistic fashion. Here the judge doesn’t break into ‘order order’ every other minute and is not there to listen to the emotionally charged pleas of the hero. Neil has lived the emotional turmoil of Parag. Watch out for the scenes when he comes out of solitary confinement.

However, after a point Jail is reduced to a case study on the Indian prison system. You know how the screenplay is going to pan out before Parag does as Madhur’s narrative pattern has become repetitive. It’s time he broke out of the shackles of success.

A.K.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Nothing new to say when it comes to the plot
People betrayed: Manpade
Burglars strike at house of former Chief Minister
‘Fix sand mining royalty’
‘Call for tenders’
‘Ensure regular power supply’
Device to climb areca palms
A reality check on the Indian prison system
Recovered
Government criticised for violation of land use law
Advocates’ resolution to abstain from courts stayed
Stage set for confrontation
Scientist speaks of satellite launch from moon

Copyright © 2009, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu