Director Rohan Sippy along with the writers do an excellent job in keeping up the viewers interest till the end. What makes Season 4 stand out is the exploration of issues like mental health and the grey areas in marriage. Pankaj Tripathi as lawyer Madhav Mishra slips into the part with practiced ease combining humor with empathy
Starcast: Pankaj Tripathi, Surveen Chawla, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub, Shweta Basu Prasad, Mita Vashisht and others
Genre: Drama/thriller
Director: Rohan Sippy
Writers: Sandeep Jain, Sameer Mishra and Harman Wadala
Creators: Harman Wadala and Rahul Ved Prakash
Producers: Sameer Nair, Deepak Segal and Sameer Gogate
Production Companies: Applause Entertainment and BBC Studios India
No of episodes: 8
Streaming site: Jio Hostar
Starting from 5th April 2019 The Criminal Justice web series is one of the longest running web shows next to Panchayat which has also completed four. The character of Madhav Mishra played by a delightful Pankaj Tripathi is a much admired for his wit and the way he solves cases. It is one of those rare web series where as a viewer you need not see from the starting season given that the cases aren’t interlinked, each one is a fresh chapter with a few recurring actors and actresses. For those who are not aware the base of Criminal Justice web series is a British Television series of the same name.
As the title suggests season 4 of Criminal justice is primarily about the fragile family dynamics. Raj (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub) and Anju (Surveen Chawla) were once upon a time a couple, now they stay separately but aren’t divorced. In spite of their fractured marriage Anju lives in the same apartment as Raj. The reason being the daughter Ira (Khushi Bhardwaj). Ira is suffering from Asperger’s syndrome. Asha Negi is Roshini a nurse who has been taking care of Ira and slowly becomes an important member of the family particularly for Raj. Raj’s mother and Anju have made peace with their relationship. This settled dynamics receive a jolt when Anju and the maid find Raj holding a blood-soaked Roshni. What follows is a courtroom drama shuttling backing and forth with the ever reliable Madhav Mishra
A strong aspect of Criminal Justice Season 4 is the dual narrative running simultaneously with the legal proceedings. The complex personal relationships with shades of grey coupled with the difficulties in raising a neurodivergent child has been etched well by both the director and writers. These two aspects give the series an emotional resonance making it more than just another case.
The investigation aspect with numerous layers also catches the viewers unawares on many occasions. You are always guessing on whether Raj is really the killer or there is something more to this. At one point there are seeds of doubt on Ira too, on whether she was somehow involved. Just when you think everything is solved the web series throws an expected googly leading to a brilliant revelation. The ending leaves the viewers with many thoughts on justice and sacrifice.
The angle of Asperger’s syndrome and the difficulties in raising a neurodivergent child has also been dealt with the required sensitivity. Rohan Sippy and the numerous writers have done a very fine job in starting a conversation about this condition, they show how people living with Asperger’s can also bring a fresh perspective. Khushi Bharadwaj plays her part with the right amount of authenticity, even though the screen time isn’t a lot.
As expected Pankaj Tripathi as Madhav Mishra is a delight to watch like the previous seasons. His sharp humor adds a lot to the courtroom proceedings, apart from the subtle comedy Pankaj Tripathi also brings an empathy in the scenes with Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub and Surveen Chawla. His scenes with the wife and the brother in law bring a smile to the viewers face. At one point the wife played by Khushboo Atre becomes an unexpected pillar of support as well.
Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub as Raj is also terrific in portraying the moral complexities of the role. He brings out the inner turmoil brilliantly. Surveen Chawla too is very good. She touches the viewers heart with an emotional performance specifically in the climactic portions. Mita Vashisht and Shweta Basu Prasad in the roles of opposition also bring strength to their respective parts. Their performances add a lot in making sure that the courtroom proceedings resemble a tense chess game.
Mohmammed Zeeshan Ayub and Surveen Chawla
Asha Negi as Roshini is sincere but her relationship with Raj is loosely etched making it difficult for the viewers to care.. The love track of Raj and Roshini has a rushed nature instead of an organic development.
Final word: Criminal Justice Season 4 is a binge worthy watch for fans of the previous seasons and of course the magnetic Pankaj Tripathi.