Nothing attracts people more than a human tragedy and the packed movie theatre in the 3rd week is a testimony to it. This movie is certainly a must-watch, not only for brilliant performances of Raani Mukherjee and Vidya Balan but for its deep rooted message. The movie doesn't tell us anything that we don't know already. We all know that wannabe model Jessica Lal was shot for refusing a drink at a party. We all know that the assailant enjoyed freedom for quite a number of years due to his father's political clout. We all know that not one of the 300 people present at the party during the shooting testified in the court. And we all know that money can buy everything in India - from silence to justice. So, what is the movie trying to tell us? Is the movie only a tribute to the relentless persuasion of a woman for justice. Or is it more? To me, the movie had a strong message – Its We, the common man that killed Jessica! I could sense the audience’s anguish during the scene when the prime witnesses turn hostile in the court. I could sense people’s anger during the scene when everyone who attended the party had a common excuse to the police “Sir, mein toh baarah baaje nikal gaya that”… And I am sure, most of us would have behaved exactly the same if we were present at that party! And what could have been our excuse for not standing up? “Let’s be practical, a Crore Rupees is better than a Bullet!”, “Why die for someone who has died? Its not gonna bring the person back!”, “Why should I act heroic and stand up when everyone else is silent?”… Now, just imagine for a minute – would we behave the same if it would have been our own family member? Would we still go with the logic of "why die for someone who has already died"??? I am sure our action would have been drastically different! And yet, just because it happened to someone else, we say “why bother” and move on.... If you really think, Jessica Lal dies every single day in front of our very own eyes! Every person who is thrashed by a group of people on the road is a Jessica! Every girl who is eve-teased by a group of men is a Jessica! Every hawker who is coerced by the local goondas to give chaanda and the policemen to give haftaa is a Jessica! Every person who is refused by the rickshaw driver just because it’s a short distance is a Jessica! Everyone who is arm twisted to do something against his mind is a Jessica! And each one of us who dumbly watches this is the prime witness in Jessica’s murder. Each one us who helplessly watches an innocent suffer is Jessica’s murderer! The movie is an eye-opener – either you stand up for your rights, or you perish! If you continue to be a spineless bystander and treat the event unfolding in front of you only as a drama, the day is not far when someday you will play a lead role in a similar drama and all you will have will be spineless bystanders!
