Movie Review: Vishal Bharadwaj along with Meghna Gulzar has hit the bulls eye with their upcoming Talvar releasing on 2nd Oct 2015,based on noida double murder case happened in may 2008.
Aarushi case does not appear to be politically motivated but it definitely casts a long shadow on the dubious ways of working of some of India’s most important institutions. The girl was daughter of a dentist couple, Dr. Rajesh Talwar and Dr. NupurTalwar. The family lived in an apartment in Sector 25 (JalvayuVihar) of Noida, Uttar Pradesh . At mere age of fourteen, the victim was forced to leave the world even before her life was started. Her parents were a working couple, leaving behind her daughter with a domestic help to take care of her daily chores. As the incident came to light,the first suspect identified by cops was HemrajBanjare who was serving as domestic help at the Talvar’s residence.
But the shocker was yet to come. The following day police found partially decomposed dead body of Hemraj on the terrace. Hence the case infamously got the name of Noida double murder case. The case aroused public interest as a whodunit story, and received heavy media coverage. Again the plot took another shameful turn, when the police considered Aarushi’s parents—Dr. Rajesh Talwar and NupurTalwar—as the prime suspects. The police suspected that Rajesh had murdered the two after finding them in an “objectionable” position, or because Rajesh’s alleged extra-marital affair had led to his blackmail by Hemraj and a confrontation with Aarushi. There were many angles to this case, which resulted in many suspects to be enquired regarding this matter. Even previous servants were inquired in this matter. Talvar presents contradictory accounts of the case, that variously depict the parents as innocent or guilty.However, Meghna Gulzar has stated that her script is completely objective and unbiased.
What followed next were numerous stories which not only confused the local cops but forced them to hand over the case to CBI for further investigations. In his defense Rajesh claimed that he was being framed by the police to cover up their own botched-up investigation. In June, CBI started investigating the case under the Joint-Director Arun Kumar. The Talwars provided counter-arguments for the points that had made them the prime suspects.This murder case could not be solved by the Noida police and was even mishandled on several fronts based on their investigation. While there were many who wondered if there was truth to this all, it is the entire process of investigation that is narrated so skillfully by Meghna that makes all the difference.
Right from the time a team of local cops contaminate the entire scene of crime to the manner in which the term ‘characterless’ is used by a senior cop to the case being transferred to the CBI (CDI, in the film’s case) to the thorough investigation that is done by one of the most senior men around (Irrfan) to the change in guard that takes place to the reversal of evidences that start taking place to an altogether new theory emerging to a case being investigated by a new team – everything in the film is so gripping and absorbing that you can’t just help but watch Talvar with utter disbelief.
However, of course,credits cannot be taken away from the main characters played by Konkana Sen Sharma and Neeraj Kabi who played role of Aarushi,s Parents and not to mention they have done full justice to their roles. But, as it is said the best is always reserved for the last, Irfan khans character as cop was icing on the cake. He has surely steal the limelight and taken away the movie single handedly.
The acting is superb, and despite the many details, the editing it tight so that the movie is gripping from start to finish. Talvar is a movie that will go down as an incisive and chilling analysis of the ills of modern India’s legal justice system.A highly recommended movie from my end and full marks to the director for putting up the plot so beautifully.