In 1999, Jessica Lal, barmaid and aspiring model, was murdered in a large party. Many witnesses claimed that her murderer was Siddharth Vashisht, the son of a wealthy politician. Yet, in 2006, he and his accomplices were acquitted. The media fueled outrage across the country, eventually leading to an appeal to the Delhi High Court, where Vashisht was found guilty. Since real life always makes for good movies, it was only a matter of time before a Bollywood producer picked up the story for a film. Ronnie Screwvala, in conjunction with the UTV media conglomerate, was the one to do it. Released only four years after the appellate court’s verdict, when the candlelight vigils were still a vivid memory for many, the movie grossed seven times its budget.
"The movie represents one of the biggest stands against corruption in recent Indian history. In fact, it can be said to be the catalyst that stirred all the civil movements that followed."
No One Killed Jessica focuses on Rani Mukerji’s character, Meera Gaity. She is an investigative journalist who, much like the real-life journalist Barkha Dutt, works hard to highlight the corrupt measures undertaken by a politician to protect his son. Esteemed actor Vidya Balan, meanwhile, started her rise to superstardom here, portraying Sabrina Lal, the sister of the deceased. Together, Meera and Sabrina ignite a movement that spreads throughout the country.
Of course, when fighting a battle for the long haul, one might get weary. After being at the forefront of the media’s attention for too long, Sabrina indeed becomes tired, but Meera is there to encourage her to keep going. She says to Sabrina, “Poora desh tumhrey liye lad raha hai aur tum hi nahi ladna chahati... kyun ?” (The whole country is fighting for you and you yourself don’t want to fight. Why?). “Desh” means “country” and “ poora ” means “entire.” Meanwhile, “lad ” means “to fight.” So, in the first half of the sentence, “lad raha hai” means “fighting” and, in the second half, “nahi ladna chahati ” means “do not fight.” This phrase is a pivotal moment in the film, in which we are unsure if the journalist will be joined by the deceased’s sister or if she will have to fight on without her.
"The whole movie is about surmounting a battle against the rich, powerful, and overtly corrupt, and it is also about victory achieved through unity."
The whole movie is about surmounting a battle against the rich, powerful, and overtly corrupt, and it is also about victory achieved through unity. At one point, Meera says, “Taqat sirf taqatwar log ke pass hoti hai... aam aadmi ke pass hoti hai, toh bus use sehne ki aadat” (Power only lies with powerful people... a common man only has the habit of bearing it). “Taqat” means “power,” while “taqatwar log” means “powerful people.” The phrase “aam aadmi ” is important to learn, considering it is also the name of one of the newest and newsmaking political parties in India. It translates as “common man,” and the Aam Aadmi Party, led by Arvind Kajriwal, was a result of the India Against Corruption movement, though the movement itself remains politically unaligned.
The movie represents one of the biggest stands against corruption in recent Indian history. In fact, it can be said to be the catalyst that stirred all the civil movements that followed. The rallying cry for women’s rights continues, and No One Killed Jessica was a blockbuster reminder of how far India has come and how far it still has to go.
