It's a good movie.

That's not just my opinion. All the people leaving the 75% occupied theater had the same feeling. One of them clapped when the movie finished. Others were silent admirers.

I understand it's not the best way to start a film review but what's the point in beating around the bush when something is clear from the onset. It feels really good when you are looking forward to a film and when you watch it; it not just delivers just what you wanted it to deliver but also surprises you with something additional.

To start with, No One Killed Jessica (NOKJ) is not just an ordinary film. It's a film with an imperative story to tell and a gigantic point to make. It shows a ferocious face of the society but it also shows how sometimes hope comes in from an unforeseen source.

Starting with a slightly protracted monologue by Rani, NOKJ takes you back to the 1999 case mentioned above and opens one page of history after another. The first half is 100% based on truth, the second half goes a bit filmy adding some necessary Bollywood touches to the story. The good thing, however, is that the story has been kept near original as much as possible. How Jessica was killed, how the witnesses turned hostile and how the judicial system responded to the whole thing. The filmy twist is Rani Mukherjee taking control of the proceedings to bring justice to the Lall family. It might not have happened the way it is shown in the film but it did eventually happen.

Vidya Balan has done an extraordinary job. Languorous body language as the nerdy girl, poignant expressions of a broken yet determined sister and angry demeanor of someone who has given up hope; she has handled it all very well. It's difficult to say that its one of her best performances because with Ishqiya, she has raised her bar too high to better. Nonetheless, almost flawless. The costume designer has given her shapeless masculine clothes which add to the barefacedness of her role.

I am not a Rani Mukherjee fan but I have to admit that she too has put up a wonderful show in NOKJ. The first surprise was her look. She looks matured but certainly not bad. She was never skinny but here she oozes sex appeal. Surprising, as far as I am concerned. Her performance is very vigorous. She has restrained herself from going over the top which has helped the cause. Her chemistry with the co-star Satyadeep Mishra as her boss is very natural. She is one actress who is very good at swearing and she gets a free-hand at that in NOKJ. Her portrayal of Meera; she is probably playing Barkha Dutt here; is a woman who is opportunistic, street smart and a self-proclaimed bitch. Rare.

Supporting cast is perfectly assembled. Rajesh Sharma has grabbed the most powerful role of his career; much stronger than Ishqiya and Khosla KA Ghosla. Satyadeep Mishra is also good in his cameo and should get bigger outings in the future. Geeta Sudan as Jessica's mother is brilliant in a couple of scenes. Samara Chopra as Naina Sehgal is the best of the lot. Her court scene with the lawyer is stunning.

I loved Rajkumar Gupta's Aamir and was looking forward to the director's next outing. Just like Aamir, he has picked up an interesting and important subject and has treated it in a similar unglamorous way. He will probably never work with Yash Chopra and Karan Johar. I particularly liked the director's attention to detail in this drama. Showing Windows 98 on the monitor screen in old scenes, old Pepsi logo on the walls, absence of mobile phones etc. were small things which could have been overlooked. There was a minor hiccup though when they failed to spot IDEA mobile's banners in the background of a shot. Cinematography could have been better though. Unnecessary addition of some humor could also be avoided.

What happened to Jessica Lall could happen to any of our friends or family. We all live in similar societies at the end of the day. If we are not immune to such events, we need to have the courage to stand up for our right and fight for it till the end. It might not become a big success, films like this don't. It will still remain one of the finest films to come out of Indian cinema lately. More so, because it covers an important subject. For me, it was a much needed relief after the underwhelming Tees Maar Khan experience.

Raj Kumar Gupta's No One Killed Jessica is based on the true story of the murder of model Jessica Lal. The movie does not work as a docudrama but more as a dramatic thriller which is effectively fictionalised in large portions to tell a story. The story may be based on a real-life event, but it never depends on it. It does not chronicle in any way the entire case with all its real-life elements. The story is real, but many cinematic ingredients are added to make it more alluring. Rarely do pictures of this sort get made in India, sadly, while in foreign countries, this has already become a well-known movie formula. No One Killed Jessica centres around two characters: Sabrina Lal, the quiet sister of the late Jessica, and Meera Gaity, a foul-mouthed hot-blooded journalist. Both women seek justice which does not seem to be coming because the murderer is none other than the son of an influential politician.

It's a funny paradox that many times people use to laugh at the fact that politicians and other powerful figures are presented as corrupt and hypocrites in Indian movies, calling it stereotypical. And here the law is dumber than ever, and the funny thing is that it's actually the truth. A woman was brutally murdered and it takes many years until justice actually prevails. This aspect of the film is very well portrayed, and well, the courtroom scenes are just fascinating. No One Killed Jessica is a fast-paced feature which tries to work more on the emotional level. It does not excruciate the audience by following the never-ending case in minute detail, and perhaps that's where it scores the most. The movie may be a bit unsettling but at the same time it is inspiring to see how a majority of ordinary citizens take the power to their hands by just uniting and fighting against injustice together.

While watching Rani Mukherjee's strong-minded and assertive journalist Meera, her lawyer Saamiya Siddiqui from Veer-Zaara often comes to the mind, although the characters are different. She evidently enjoys playing her part, but at the same time suffers from it. I don't know if she was the prefect choice for it, frankly. Her line delivery is not that of a news presenter, and she is endlessly given an opportunity to curse, swear and insult her colleagues. Now that's not a strong character make, and at times it looks like the otherwise graceful lady is terribly miscast. Having said that and barring the fact that something is missing in this performance, Rani is still pretty good. Some of her fans may be surprised because her role is not that lengthy, and maybe that's why the director tries to make it so bold, but the actress does occasionally manage to rise above these poor attempts by honestly portraying Meera's feisty nature, her tough outside, and her soft inside.

And without the slightest of doubt, it is Vidya Balan who owns the film with her sincere and heartfelt act. Balan looks impossibly authentic in the role and skillfully captures the essence of Sabrina. Although the film does not always portray her character in a positive light, Balan wins it over by creating a simple and understated portrait of anguish, despair and courage. The film's music is so-so, with some songs, like that energetic "Dilli" song, being really fun and enjoyable and others just dragging the narrative to no end. All said and done, No One Killed Jessica is definitely not without its flaws but is still an interesting and entertaining picture. It does not always ring true, and some aspects of it are overdone, the character of Meera being the prime example. The ending in particular turns into an emotional ride which leans more on drama rather than on an actual and deep message, but in the end, it just grows on you and ultimately leaves a mark.

It had great potential. It started well, but somewhere in the middle it falls short of delivering the kind of impact that was expected from a film like "No One Killed Jessica". But that in no way takes away the effort that has been put in to make a film like this; something that requires a lot of balls. The screenplay gets a bit overstretched in the second half which becomes the weakest point of the film. Talking of strengths, Vidya Balan steals the show (literally) with a performance that is understated, uninhibited and totally spontaneous. She deserves a standing ovation. Newcomer Myra shows tremendous potential, while Rani as the sour-tongued journalist is delightful but by far not her best. Amit Trivedi's music too is the highlight of the film. Hats off to the entire team for making the movie that deserves to be made, and passing a message that deserves to be passed.

The movie is based on a true story that changed the way journalism and the judicial system were viewed in India. It is about 2 girls who decide to fight against the system which faltered in providing justice, while succeeding in the endeavor also manage to touch the hearts of millions of Indians.

In the movie the director fulfills his promise which was displayed in his earlier movie Aamir, with this brutally honest, yet rivetingly thrilling rendering which makes many points without being preachy or over dramatic.

The movie takes a dig at the aged Indian judicial system and how it is prone to be abused at the hands of the rich. The director looks after and gets right most of the little factual details in the film which is very appreciable and often missing in bollywood.

The movie strengths are that it is so close to the facts of case(visit the wiki page to check out)without sounding like a documentary or going over the top.It has a thriller like pace especially in the second half whereas the 1st half could do with a bit more of editing.

The music is loud but works well to keep the viewers attention when the movie drags a little.But undoubtedly the movie is worth watching for the actors and characters they portray. Catch Rani Mukherjee in perhaps the most daring female character ever written for a heroine in India with her oozing attitude not to mention the flying f words.She has guts to accept that role! Among the side roles only the police inspector's laid back role impresses.But the movie belongs to Vidya Balan who comes back to surprise us over again with a completely deglam, gritty and yet vulnerable role of Sabrina lal.She is amazing.Wish the lead ladies had more screen space together. Kudos to the team for a daring venture avoiding most of the clichés and showing the way forward for Indian movies in 2011.

After a long time, there's chance to see a good Hindi movie based on true events. I almost lost my hope from Hindi movies, since few months I was used to watch crap films. But again I got to see a nice film, with nice performance by everybody. I like the movie because of many reason here are they:

Music: Amit Trivedi has again proved that whatever he do different from others is always good, prior to this I liked his "Amir" and "DevD". The starting song "Delhi" has a dramatic form which suites very much to the situation, the other songs like "Yeh Pal" and "Aitbaar" are also too good. The performance given by all singer are very good.

Story: As we know that this is based on true events, I still remember the news when I was in studying in std 11th. Sabrina will get sympathy from the audience of this movie. In the film there's a parallel story of a journalist's life which is played by Rani Mukherjee, not sure if that's a part of the true story. But one thing is sure that there was a important role of Media towards the justice. Direction/Screenplay: Direction and Screenplay of the movie was good, the flashback in between the story was well adjusted. The contemporary incidents were also included in the movie such as Indo-Pak war, Kathmandu plane high-jack.

Performance: The performance given by all the people in the movie according is very nice; Vidya and Rani are in lead role. Vidya has done a very good job, in this film she has got the full chance to show her capability as an actress. She will get sympathy from audience since she has done a challenging role of Sabrina, definitely this will help much for her career. Rani on the other side has been seen in a modern girl who is very frank, people who have seen "Bichoo" film will get a glimpse of same Rani again. Apart from these the policeman and the guy who use to swear every moment "Maa Kasam" has also done well.

I'll recommend everybody to watch this film, I'll give 9.5/10 to this.

Should a person who wants to relax a little, stay away from the never ending burdens of life,to grab a popcorn and coke and have their free laughing classes inside the theatre, watch this film ? NO. Cause after coming out of the theatre he/she is bound to realize how insignificant an average citizen is in front of money and power which rules the country.

This is a very hard-hitting film, maybe a slap on the face of everyone who desperately try to remain unaware of the wrongs happening in this country.Just like Sabrina(Vidya Balan) was,till Jessica got murdered.

Keeping it in mind that this film was purely based on true events ,kudos to the director for not sensationalizing any part of the film for making it "filmi". And it wasn't a documentary either. The story is obviously known to everyone so don't expect nerve-ripping surprises.It is a movie which makes you have a seat beside Sabrina while she is sitting beside her ailing father,Shout in agony "Lets nail those bastards" with Meera(Rani Mukherji) as she promises to bring justice.

Raj Kumar Gupta is a very promising director who uses Vidya Balan, Rani Mukherjee to perfection.The first half belongs to the silent Vidya and the second to Rani.

The music by Amit Trivedi and lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya fits right into the story. Final word, this film makes you think.For example what had you done had you been in the prime witness Vikram's place."Mujhe ek Crore rupaiya nahi chahiye par ek goli bhi nahin khani" Isn't this the mentality of almost every middle-class citizen of India ?

A must Watch " No one Killed Jessica " Directed by Raj Kumar Gupta and acted by Rani Mukherjee and Vidya Balan.

A must watch. I would like to say after Udan In 2010 I have seen such a impact-full movie. A Rang De Basanti recreated. Powerful performances by Rani and Vidya makes the movie more interesting. A very good direction indeed in the first half you will not even for single moment blink your eyes, it has the right power , punch and story which is needed for a good movie. Story is as we all know. For those who do not know, the story deals with a killing of Jessica who works in a pub and is a aspiring model. She is killed by a man who happens to be son of a cabinet minister. And he kills in the rage of just not getting the drink. And all the political bullshit happens to protect him but our Rani who is a famous journalist fights back when she comes to know that Vidya's (Sabrina) effort has gone in vain and the killer got free without any charge.

A good start for the year 2011.I wish Raj makes more good movies. Four and half stars out of five. Enjoy..................

Wow! Now that's great film-making. Always good to see a hard-hitting movie with a conscience, and this one goes at it full force. A glimpse in to the power-based society that is Delhi, I knew little of the Jessica Lal case before watching. While entertaining yet quite scary in its portrayal of the common (wo)man's value in Indian society, the film does ask some good questions about our world and humankind in general. Think something like this could never happen in other parts of the world? OJ Simpson, anyone? The film is really lifted though thanks to the convincing portrayals by Vidya Balan and Rani Mukherji. The latter plays convincingly to the gallery, and the former is completely deglamourized and convincing in her little sister avatar. What a great way to start a new year for Hindi cinema. A few scenes are not 100% convincing or over-dramatized, but it doesn't matter. I loved the great scenes between Meera and her boss the most. An eye-opening way to rationalize the often sensationalized and under-cover Indian journalism.

Kudo to Raj Kumar Gupta. Must now catch the director's previous flick, Aamir.

For those of you who wasted your hard earned money on crap Bollywood movies like Golmaal 3 of late, here's your chance to support good cinema at your local box office. Don't miss it.

"No one killed jessica" is an important movie. The storyline is a dramatized version of the Jessica Lal murder case and the events that transpired after that: a girl (Jessica) who was killed in a pub in Delhi, the sub-sequent attempts at the cover-ups and the painstaking efforts undertaken by the victim's family and the news agencies that finally forced the powers that be, to take notice and punish the guilty.

What pulled this movie through is the direction and technique. Specially the first half of the movie was top-notch. The tension in the scenes was right there at the edge. The acting was impeccable.

The second-half saw some dilution from the onset, primarily due to the awful, melodramatic and over-the-top performance by Rani Mukherjee. May what the requirements be, she still acts like a teenager. Maybe someone with better acting caliber like Nanidta Das would have made for a better candidate to play this role. However, I would say that this is as much a fault of the people that wanted the character to be this way, as the actress. Towards the end, however Rajkumar Gupta somewhat managed to get things back on track.

Regarding acting, two people would stick to the mind long after the movie ends .. First is Vidya Balan. She plays Jessica's sister Sabrina with such panache, it would be difficult to imagine others doing that role. The second one is Rajesh Sharma, the police inspector, a very Grey character who plays his part to bring the perpetrators to justice from the background. His acting is very good and one wishes to see such character actors get more screen time in good movies.

The background score and sound track are great, and help to keep the viewers at the edge. The cinematography is good throughout the movie.

The main reason why I gave this movie a 7 out of ten is that I felt that towards the end, the movie ended up as being somewhat another masala Hindi flick.

Overall, I would recommend everyone to see this movie for the subject, the overall techniques employed in telling the story and Vidya Balan. But don't expect to see an Erin Brokovich or an Aamir.

This is director Rajkumar Gupta's second movie after Aamir, and having watched both, I must say he is a very good director, and very engaging in his movie-making style. Talking about the movie, anyone who's yet to watch this must be curious if it's a straight lift from the true story of Jessica Lal's death. But the movie makers say it's a mix of fact & fiction. So I'll not make any judgement on how accurate it has been about Jessica's life. As a movie, it scores.

Delightful music, fine & accurately done costumes, very good acting and attention grabbing scenes(nearly all of them) are the pros.

The leading stars of the movie, Rani Mukherjee and Vidya Balan share equally strong roles and they also come up with top notch performances. Vidya Balan still needs more edge with her emotional scenes while I feel Rani has not been guided effectively. There were some serious moments when Rani's expressions were filmy. I will not blame her as she's capable of powerful acting. Probably, she just went by whatever the director asked her to do. Even then, it's so refreshing to see Rani's act as a bold & brave journalist showering nearly everyone with gaalis and Vidya being so understated in her body language. But, I think the Actor of the Day award should go either to the lady who plays the role of Rani's news assistant who does a class job while interviewing victim Jessica's friend, Vikram Jai(actor Neil Bhoopalam) or actor Rajesh Sharma as the lazy-looking, mean but sincere cop who interrogates the accused Manish Bharadwaj(actor Mohammed Ayyub). Unfortunately, I do not know the lady's name. Good job also by the rest of the acting cast like Neil, Samara Chopra(famous for her NDTV Goodtimes Yoga shows) and the beautiful Myra(as Jessica).

The best scene is the camera sting scene by Rani's assistant with Neil Bhoopalam. It was brilliant, mainly due to the lady's natural performance. Also, the scene were Rani & Vidya meet at the Delhi India Gate for the first time must have wet many eyes in the audience. It was very moving.

Any negative aspects? The death scene of Jessica could have struck a chord with the audience but it really didn't. It looked like any other movie murder moments. Probably one or two of Vidya's emotional scenes which weren't as effective as I expected and also some typical filmi expressions of Rani.

It may or may not be entertaining but the movie has quite effectively spread a message that public participation in any worthwhile cause can create miracles, and make impossible stuff possible.

Verdict: Thank you Rajkumar Gupta for a movie that's as good as Aamir, if not better. Viewers, your ticket will be worth it.

"No One Killed Jessica" is a film based on a famous murder that occurred years ago in Delhi. The character of Meera in the film is a personification of the reporters who went on the warpath when the punk who murdered her was acquitted--even though there was a mountain of evidence against him. How did he get acquitted? In India, there's a long tradition of corruption and folks who are rich and important have been able to literally get away with murder. And, the punk's family is a politician...exactly the sort to remain unpunished. But Meera is determined to make this case huge as is Jessica's sister....to force action and force people to be accountable. The film chronicles the case and is also about the police cover-up and the press insisting that truth prevail.

Non-Indians watching this film might be very surprised by the story and how widespread corruption has been in India. However, as I've seen a couple hundred Indian films, I see that this is actually one of the most common recurring themes in their films--that the police cannot be trusted and the government is run by kleptocrats. So, reporters refusing to let such an injustice get swept under the rugs IS unusual and I can only assume they risked much to expose this conspiracy. I also assume that some pressure must have been exerted on the studio that made this film...yet they made it anyway.

This is a very well made film and I am glad I watched it. I had a couple minor quibbles: the occasional use of the shaky cam as well as some unnecessary musical interludes which are common in Indian films but which didn't really fit the story. But these didn't negatively impact the film and overall it's extremely well made, compelling and worth seeing.

No one killed Jessica directed by Raj kumar Gupta is a "hybrid" of real and fiction, that describes the murder of a model named Jessica Lal, her sister's fight for justice and eventual punishment of accused. Anyone born in the late 80's and earlier would be aware of Jessica Lal, a model,killed by a politician's son(in 1999), for refusing drinks at a party and who went Scot free thanks to political influence and corruption.

The movie's first half shows how Jessica got involved in the unfortunate incident, her sister Sabrina's(Vidya Balan) fight for justice and how a gritty reporter-Meera(Rani mukerjee), who initially refuses to take up the case, regretfully picks it up after the accused gets let off. The second half we see Meera fight for justice and with the support of media and people she is successful in reopening the case.

The movie moves at a smooth pace. Although Meera's role is very tiny in the first half of the film, Gupta makes use of the time to build her character. A brash, honest reporter who stops at nothing to get the job done. Rani Mukerjee (Black) is a terrific actor who for some reason has made all wrong choices in picking up mushy stereotypical roles since her award winning performance in Black. But here she shines again as Meera, although her role is not as impressionable as the one in black, she deserves accolades for it.

Vidya Balan as Sabrina does a good job too but sadly her's is a role that is not as satisfyingly written as that of Meera. We see Sabrina Lall as a woman who has no boyfriend, no life because she spends all her time trying to get her sister's killer arrested .This cannot be real! The Real Sabrina Lall, I am sure had a life in which she studied or worked or did something other than moving from police station to court for eight years!. On the other hand Jessica's character has been sketched out neatly and just enough to connect with the viewers.

The supporting characters are okay but the scenes of the common people watching television, their reaction and reactions of eminent public figures(depicted through look-alike)inadvertently evoke laughter mainly due to the poor acting.

The music by Trivedi impressively highlights certain scenes like the opening credits and songs like 'aithbaar' plays perfectly in tandem with intense scenes involving court and Sabrina's plight. In fact the rock tunes in the background score help some scenes from seeming too dramatic.

In Conclusion, Although No one killed Jessica gets over dramatic sometimes,it does a decent job of entertaining and educating the viewers. Watch No one killed Jessica, to remember 'that' event which roused the whole nation to fight against corruption with unity, for truly and sadly we don't see it happening often.

When I heard there is a movie on Jessica Lal murder case, the first thing that came into my mind was some boring movie on social message. But since not any good movie released this week we made a plan for NOKJ. And from the first minute of the movie it turned out interesting. I watched the movie with full concentration and believe me, even if its not comedy,romantic,thriller or action I was bound to your seat once it starts and to the emotions the characters were going through. I was easily connected to the characters.

The music was wonderful and backed the story. It really need a heart to make a movie on a real issue and a brain to make it entertaining too. Rajkumar Gupta really deserve applause for making such kind of movie. As per acting goes, Vidya and Rani both were Impaccable. Hats off to an excellent movie.

After Aamir,expectations were sky high from director Raj Kumar Gupta and he easily manages to match those. Dealing with a real subject and reeling it into a movie with adding flavor to it is what has been tried in past as well and many failed. No One Killed Jessica is an honest attempt to show the (mis)use of power in India and what Sabrina( sister of murdered Jessica Lal)went through all these years. Vidya never misses a single emotion and shows one of her best performances ever. She has portrayed the role of Sabrina in a way it should have been done. Rani is a delight to eyes after a long time. The dialogs used in the film shows how Delhi talks in everyday terms. The music of the film is brilliant. Nice work Amit Trivedi. Overall a cinema not to be missed.

Verdict: It is a mix of fiction & real events but overall a good flick not to be missed. Go for it.

NO ONE KILLED JESSICA – 5.1/10

Director: Raj Kumar Gupta

Writer: Raj Kumar Gupta

Last time I was this disappointed was post watching New York (2009), though the disappointment sank in after I witnessed the public hysteria and the critic reviews of a film which was no better than what I have just seen. Arguably and possibly, No One Killed Jessica will go on to be the most over-rated film of the year to come.

The film is about the famous or rather infamous Jessica Lal murder case. My reviews/opinions are not meant to serve spoilers, so no time will be wasted discussing or running through the story. I am struggling to find any positives other than the music by the extremely talented Mr.Amit Trivedi. To start with, the film has the worst shot taking I have witnessed in decades: there were more close-up shots than there are in a late evening Indian mother-in-law-daughter-in-law television soap. And this isn't one. Not that I am against close crops, but certain scenes or instances demand them; it is not a magic wand that sets all wrongs right. Several sequences were rendered lifeless by poor shot taking.

The script is hollow, mundane and clearly written with absolute contempt for serious or real conversations. Odd reactionary dialogues by the parents of the victim, peculiar exchanges between the police and the victim's family, old and hackneyed jokes, basically everything functioned exactly the way you would expect it to. The court cases were flimsy and ridiculous at best. Depiction of political and media figures were lethally stereotypical. Since characters were mono-dimensional and the acting was basically mockery of anything quantifiable as acting, the script achieved new heights for clichés.

I am perplexed as to why there is much hullabaloo about Rani Mukherjee's (Meera) acting? If you throw in a sexually explicit scene (by Indian on screen standards), make the character loud, sprinkle a few expletives for cheap public thrills and of course, dress him or her up nicely, does it work as a substitute for good acting? Acting nevertheless is the subject most open for subjective interpretation. But industry standards have surely touched a new low. Most places, the need for any actor was simply annihilated with the overbearing background score. Finally, Ram Gopal Verma has competition. Music, the blind man's stick, was guiding public emotions since most have no idea what they should be feeling or how they should react to a given situation. Vidya Balan (Sabrina Lal), who otherwise has several respectable performances, has confused a bland, expressionless face that conveys nothing, for solitude, grief and painful visages; unconfident acting and in some instances over animated expressions are not able to save her skin. Characters are placed in settings that resemble amateur college short-films.

The film in itself is unsure of its intent and who or what does it stand for? It starts with a different agenda and ends with another. It renders one protagonist inconsequential as it creates another and in the process loses the very crux of the issue. The director himself seems to have forgotten what he was dealing with as one reporter tells the other in the middle of the film, paraphrasing: "you are about to get famous". Does she? Is the film about the reporters getting famous? What image about the media is to be taken home? We are suppose to believe that: the country functions with only one media, if one reporter doesn't cover a given story then nothing can happen, the mainstream media is actually moral (CNN cares about what is happening in Iraq… for instance), the judiciary system in India really works (don't debate, just test it if you doubt it) and many more projected hallucinations that basically reinforce and feed common and ignorant mass public opinion.

It is depressing that a director who started his career with a promising film which spoke of a mature understanding of filmmaking as an art, should churn out this exaggerated cliché with such a poor predictable script, disappointing performances by the entire cast and a highly amateurish approach to a very serious subject. May be the next film – No One Killed Aarushi should be directed by Dev Anand.

No One Killed Jessica, directed by Rajkumar Gupta, is a loud, overdramatized account of the Jessica Lall murder in 1999 and the events that followed. Drama is inherent to this story, in which the prime accused was acquitted by the court for lack of evidence, then sentenced to life imprisonment when the case was reopened seven years later following a collective public outcry. Yet Gupta paints in broad strokes, delivering a simplistic, Bollywood-ised version of real events. So Vidya Balan plays Sabrina, Jessica's elder sister, as a dowdy figure, robbed of any personality, focused on seeking justice for the death of her sibling. And Rani Mukherjee is the smoking, swearing TV reporter Meera Geti, who leaves a man halfway through an amorous encounter when she receives a call about a big breaking news story. Both are what you'd describe as 'signpost' characters; they might as well be wearing their character sketch around their neck.With the exception of a few powerful scenes that leave you with a genuine lump in your throat, Gupta goes for full-on melodrama that doesn't always ring true. Courtroom scenes in which lawyers bellow at witnesses, or newsroom scenes in which Meera railroads her boss and barks at junior reporters, are written with the sole purpose of eliciting an applause. The film opens with the news of Jessica's death reaching her sister, and quickly flashbacks to the incident where the model bartender was shot at point blank range for refusing a drink to a politician's son after the bar had been closed. The court case follows, where the accused is allowed to walk free, because witnesses have been intimidated or paid off. The only compelling character in this track is a cop (played by Rajesh Sharma), who in one of the film's best-directed scenes tells Sabrina he accepted a bribe to not hurt the accused while recording his statement.The film's parallel track involves Rani's character Meera, a star reporter who initially has no interest in the Jessica story, then goes after it when she's convinced justice has been denied, and spearheads a campaign to undo the damage.No One Killed Jessica has a disclaimer that describes the film as "a hybrid of fact and fiction". Indeed, the film may work as a masala entertainer, but for the most part, the director's treatment is too exaggerated and bombastic for a 'true story'. Virtually every single supporting character is a cardboard caricature, and watching those courtroom scenes in which witnesses are called to testify, is nothing short of sheer torture because of the amateurish acting that's up on display. One character whose representation in the film I found particularly offensive was the mother of the accused, who shows up on three separate occasions and almost in a cutesy sing-song voice tells her husband that no matter what, he must protect her son. It's almost unbelievable that the director goes for such insensitive humor in a film of this nature. As far as the central performances go, Vidya Balan plays her character one-note, and seems to forget to invest any personality into Sabrina. Sure one doesn't expect to see her play Sabrina as a bubbly, lively woman, but she needn't have been so dull either. Vidya shines in the one unpredictable scene she's allowed, in which her character breaks into a giggle during a tense moment in court. Rani Mukherjee, despite being saddled with a cliché of a character, is more cinematically engaging, and knows exactly how to command the screen with her presence. But the star of 'No One Killed Jessica' is Amit Trivedi, the film's music and background score composer, who gives the film its soul. His pulsating track Dilli is possibly the best opening-titles number in recent memory, and he infuses life and pace into even somber scenes with his rich background compositions.No One Killed Jessica' isn't a bad film; it's just a disappointing one from a filmmaker who showed such promise with his debut film 'Aamir'. This one falls short.

A film like No One Killed Jessica pricks your conscience and makes you think. In fact, it's the kind of film that will lead to debates and discussions. What was more appalling - the model's slaying or the slapdash method in which the suspected assassins were brought to justice? What's even more scandalous is that almost immediately after the killing, the police identified the slaughterer and it seemed like an open-and-shut case. But it wasn't.

Social movies made in India are generally not very entertaining and looses the plots in middle. But this movie is fast and keeps the audience interested. Background music is good and the performances are superb. This movie is recommended for everyone to watch.

No One Killed Jessica is a true story of a Jessica Lall, a model who was shot on April 29th, 1999. The story revolves around Sabrina Lall who is portrayed by Vidya Balan. This movie brings out how corrupt politicians are and how they debase all the witnesses. Everything in the movie suits the story of Jessica, except the role of Rani Mukherjee till half of movie. Most of her role before that seems irrelevant to the story.

Amit Trivedi has given an amazing soundtrack, especially Dilli and Aitbaar. They're done beautifully and come at a critical scenes of the movie.

Overall, I liked the movie but wasn't completely satisfied with the ending but it did almost brought the real incidences to life.

There are very few movies which can live upto your expectations and this movie is one of them. As was shown in the trailers and during promotional events of the movie, it was an open message to the audience that movie is based on a real incident, come and watch the movie without anticipating something heavenly. No one killed Jesica will be remembered as a successful endeavor to depict the murder case of Model Jesica lal. The movie starts on a high note with scintillating sound track Dilli Dilli and catch the momentum pretty soon. Thanks to Amit Trivedi for this masterpiece of the background music which creates the real life in the movie. It echos completely with the emotions and various scenes in the movie. Rani Mukharji as an firebrand reporter, the practical but human side of today's girl played her part awesomely and made a strong statement every time she appeared on screen. Vidya Balan on the other hand looked a little thin in her performance. She was supposed to play a character, carrying immense pain but with a hope of justice in her heart. I felt movie going off track only once during the last 20 minutes when, craziness of public about the justice to Jesica was over stretched. I rate it 7 for good direction, clean characterization, awesome music and stick to theme effort.

Dilli...........kaat kaleja Dillie its really groovy man,NOKJ going to be a one of the best movie of 2011,this movie will surely hit the box- office nd slap the system of India.It is well narrated nd directed by "Rajkumar Gupta" after the much acclaimed "aamir".Performances are watchable as Myer(Jessica)nice,Vidhya Balan(Sabrina Lall) is respectable,Rani Mukherje(Meera)awesome nd stay u on the seats to watch it nd the last, the guy(Rajesh Sharma) is 'Crispy'.Screenplay nd Dialogues are best,Cinematography nd Editing are on a1 rank nd the best that i enjoyed is music by "Amit Trivedi" its memorable for me.The songs like 'Dillie'(Groovy) nd Aitbaar(give me goosebumps,its like a hauntic track),background score is the top notch of the movie,hats off to Rajkumar Gupta nd Amit Trivedi for making a film like this,simply its best.

The guys who don't know the story........its about Jessica Lall murder case.The girl works in a pub at Delhi where she was shoot ed by a cabinet minister son Manuu coz he asked for a drink than she said no drink in stock,later he asked again by offering extra bucks than she said,"I will not give u a single sip for Ur 1000 bucks" than guy shoot ed her.

It's a prolonged applause movie,so guys leave everything nd go for it......must watch!!!!!!

One of the better movies in recent times to come out of that film churning machine called Bollywood, this film does not flatter to deceive.

Script & Music: The film runs on a very tight script and has a nice flow to it, with the music and songs never releasing the tension or disrupting the flow. In fact, the biggest plus point would be the soundtrack, edgy, metallic and racy at times, yet moody, melancholic and somber at other times, carrying the narrative forward. Rajkumar Gupta has carried forward the good work from his last masterpiece, 'Aamir'. Excellent direction and camera work, along with high emotional content make this eminently watchable. However, unnecessary use of expletives at times seems forced and contrived.

Acting: Rajesh Sharma takes the cake with his brilliant portrayal of a dishonest cop who still has some qualms of fairness left in him. Vidya Balan starts off shakily with wailing and screaming, but later matures and pulls off her part beautifully, particularly in the funeral scenes. The one big let down is Rani Mukherji, who never gets under the skin of the role, despite all her acrobatics, huffing & puffing, obscenities and supposed 'wise cracks'. Her act seems contrived, and the dialogues lack conviction or charm. The role of a firebrand journalist eludes her, which was portrayed much better by a Preity Zinta in Lakshya.

Styling: Spot on for almost everyone, except again, the journalist protagonist. TV reporters are careful about the image they portray and Rani's clothes kept clashing from scene to scene, while she goes on national TV in a girly T shirt, jeans and neck pendant, she wears beautiful designer trench-coats at rallies. Amateur stuff not expected from a director of this caliber.

Overall, a good watch, not living up to 'Aamir', but tight, edgy editing and music ensures the interest of the audience is engaged till the last minute/ scene. The biggest plus would be, there are very few loopholes in this film, though in retrospect, since the film has been scripted exactly along the real murder case, scope for such bunglings and necessity for research work was low.

Based on the real life incident of Jessica Lall's murder. It shows what people and media can do.No one killed Jessica is a must watch movie....after such a long time i found this type of movie..based on real story...Vida & Rani both role r superb especially Vida played a very strong role ....salute to Sabrina la ll ...she waited so long for her sister's justice...this movie gives us a lesson .....the song "Dilli" is superb...good direction...Rajkumar Gupta shows absolute conviction in bringing to life one of the most significant murder-case convictions in the history of India. No one miss this cinema!No other Indian filmmaker has ever attempted to capture the story behind a high profile murder -- and it isn't a half-hearted, watered down tale based in a different city, in a different time zone and with different names. Even though there is a disclaimer at the beginning of the film, there's no doubt who or what the film is about. The movie begins in 1999 in Delhi, when Sabrina (Vidya Balan) receives a call about her sister Jessica (Myra) being "in an accident" and not long after, dies. It seems like an open-and- shut case. Jessica has been shot by a politician's son at a nightclub with over 300 guests and many eyewitnesses. But the inevitable happens. Money exchanges hands and everything from the witnesses to the forensics report is fixed and the murderer Manish Bhardwaj walks free. Enter hardcore TV journalist Meera (Mukerji), who had no interest in the case until now, as it was too "simple" for her thinking. Outraged by the injustice done, she decides to get involved. She manages to stir the entire nation's conscience and the culprits are arrested again.

No one killed Jessica was an important movie, symbolized by the fact that the immature and outdated censor board didn't remove a scene (although gave it an 'A', while I feel U/A is fine) from it. It is important for many reasons. Firstly, it is a reminder to those who knew of the incident that power and money rests above justice and Delhi's elite socialite's are nothing but egoistical high-headed douche-bags. Secondly, it is the introduction, or in other words, the proper introduction of the incident to those primarily born in the 90's who must know of examples of different kinds of people on whom most of the power rests, those who value a 30 ML peg of Smirnoff more than others lives and those who would sell their identity for a bunch of Versace clothes. It shows what Delhi is made up of, and what others must face if you are not one of these people. While the movie portrays all of this well in the first half, the second half is just a downer. Well, not much of a downer, but enough for it to lose a star and a half than what the first half deserves. Melodramatics flows at a great pace, more than what is required, just like too much rain, means too much crop destruction. Not much is valued in the second half. The first half can be taken more seriously than the second half that makes the movie dive from a different level altogether down to earth amidst other bollywood masala movies. But, blah, who am I kidding? It was still a good film, pretty good in fact with good performance from the cast as an ensemble. Less melodrama could be replaced by more impacting stuff, but still the first half was powerful enough to make an impact and will do so.

Raj Kumar Gupta, the director, has probably never heard of schmaltz. So just let me say he's bathed the final moments of this excellent film in a music-drenched, gauzy pool of sentimentality. He didn't ruin the film for me, however. The beginning is so strong and so persuasive that I was ready to join the crowd marching in the streets to undo the miscarriage of justice in the prosecution of the young man who murdered Jessica in front of -- how many is it -- 300 witnesses. She doesn't have much of a speaking part but Myra is gorgeous and utterly convincing as the murdered girl, and Vidya Balan, as her sister, carries the film on her slender shoulders all the way through. As others have said, I was less entranced by the better known star playing the journalist responsible for exposing and publicizing the affair. Nevertheless, "No One Killed Jessica" is by far the best dramatic film I've ever seen from India. It is deserving of a much larger audience than it has won in the West. The movie is too long and you'll need to check your blood sugar content repeatedly during the last half hour, but it's definitely worth seeing.

Do yourselves a favor, and go watch Raj Kumar Gupta's "No One Killed Jessica". That a film of such high caliber is 2011's first release bodes well for Hindi cinema, which has been hanging its head in shame with the crass, the manipulative, the cheesy, and--at very best--mediocre efforts released during 2010. The exceptions were "Ishqiya" (with a splendid job by Vidya Balan, the always wonderful Naseeruddin Shah, and Arshad Warsi); "Peepli (Live)";" Do Dooni Chaar";" Band, Baaja, Baaraat", and to some extent, "Badmaash Company". And when we wondered if we would ever see another film worth the price of admission, here comes "No One Killed Jessica", about the infamous Jessica Lall murder case that rocked the Indian judicial and police systems recently.

I don't give away anything in summarizing the plot, because we all know how the case ultimately played out: here is that rare instance when public opinion, once mobilized, proved mightier than the powers that be.

The worthless son of a politician arrives with two hangers-on at a sophisticated Delhi club, just as things are winding down for the night. Last call has been announced, and the two young bartenders are anxious to clean up and leave. The thug demands to be served a drink. When his attempt at bribery is rebuffed by the no-nonsense young fashion model who moonlights as a bartender, he brandishes a gun. The woman, Jessica, stands her ground, so he shoots her point-blank. In a heinous miscarriage of justice, the three goons are acquitted. Jessica's family is shattered. Her sister Sabrina runs herself ragged for six years trying to get justice, but one by one, the witnesses are bought off by the minister, and change their testimony in court. Sabrina gives up and retreats into a bitter silence. A TV journalist, known for her near-tabloid approach to reporting, decides to take up Jessica's cause. Through methods not entirely ethical (shock tactics and a couple of audacious sting operations), the journalist gathers enough evidence to expose the deceit, corruption, and coercion that had resulted in the acquittals. With the entire country in an uproar, the President is forced to intervene, the case is reopened and, finally, justice is served.

The action, plucked straight out of the newspaper headlines, moves back and forth in time. We get to know the vivacious Jessica, full of unfulfilled potential, through the reminiscences of her family and friends. We already recognize she was an extraordinary woman in the opening scene when she refuses to be bullied by the minister's son, only to be shot. The murder, filmed without sensationalism, stuns one. Is life in India so cheap that it's worth less than an alcoholic beverage? That's the question the journalist Meera (modeled, apparently, on the notorious Barkha Dutt of NDTV) poses to the nation. An open-and-shut-case becomes, appallingly, an illustration of how power and entitlement stifle the cries of the wronged. Thankfully, that's not the end. The case sparked a review of India's archaic judiciary, and the country's systemic corruption. Mark this story as one shining victory for the ragged and clamorous democracy that is India. The voices of her citizens unite across religious, regional, and socio-economic lines into a roar that will not be quelled until Jessica is given justice.

This is Hindi cinema at its realistic best. The camera takes in the Delhi of the coddled and favored few, as well as the Delhi of the wretched masses. The homes and clothes of the characters are from real life. Jessica's sister Sabrina, played flawlessly by Vidya Balan, is a studious nerd, uncaring of her physical appearance. Without a lick of makeup or actorly vanity,Vidya allows Sabrina's passion, rage, and finally, her sorrow and resignation to shine through. Sabrina is only concerned with the survival of her devastated family and ensuring justice for her dead sister. When she realizes that her sister's killer is going to go free, her eyes go dead. It's as though a light has been switched off inside her. There is no actorly bravado in this performance, but a deep and acutely felt realism. Although Rani Mukherjee and Vidya Balan are noted for their beauty, we appreciate them both as performers here.

Rani Mukherjee's role is glamorous only because of her character's profession. The journalist she plays has succeeded in the traditional domain of men; she is as foul-mouthed and callous as any man. But she pulls it off...it never comes across as affectation. Rani's Meera smokes, drinks, lives alone in the big city, and has sex with a boyfriend. She is cynical, inured to the venality of human beings; she, too, is not above playing the game for her own ends. But something in the bowed head and defeated demeanor of Sabrina whom she encounters at the news station, stirs her dormant decency and outrage. Meera drives the story into the public consciousness and persuades it that such an unjust outcome must be reversed. Rani is astounding, and we should be angered that such a fine actress is not getting roles, or—if stories are to be believed—that she is intentionally letting her career slow down. Why, for God's sake, why?

Excellent writing, a superb cast, and technical brilliance make this film a stand-out . I loved that there was no obvious acting...these folks looked like everyday Delhi people. Stand tall, director Raj Kumar Gupta: your new film is of the same fabric as "Rang De Basanti". In fact, a screening of "Rang De Basanti" acts as a catalyst for one of this film's most moving sequences. Indians have always been deeply influenced by the movies, and we each live and perform daily in the cinema of our lives. The "Rang De Basanti" segment spotlights gloriously how positive action in real life can be instigated by a film.

Do not miss this film. And, Jessica Lall, now you may rest in peace.