"Irrfan Khan (Life of Pi, The Lunchbox)
stars in this dramatization of the notorious “Noida Double Murder
Case,” which set off a media frenzy around the world in 2008. One of India's greatest actors, Irrfan Khan,
last seen at the Festival in 2013's The
Lunchbox, stars in this dramatization of
the notorious 2008 Noida Double Murder
Case, which set off a media frenzy around
the world. The day after fourteen-year-old Aarushi
Talwar is found murdered in her home,
the body of her family's house servant
is discovered just steps away from the
scene of Aarushi's death. The police deem
it an honour killing, as she had allegedly
brought shame to her family by having an
affair with the servant. Despite a lack of
evidence, Aarushi's parents are convicted of
the gruesome crimes. Yet the case is riddled
with ambiguities that leave more than a
shadow of doubt as to whether justice has
been served. Employing the structure of a classic
whodunit, director Meghna Gulzar reconstructs
the botched police investigation, the
subsequent inquiry into the case, and the
trial by public perception that took place
when Aarushi's grieving parents were taken
to court. As we jump between various accounts
of the night of the murders, the mystery
deepens, and the search for truth takes on
a mounting sense of urgency.
Khan plays the lead detective with wit,
depth and an engaging unpredictability. It's
a performance in keeping with the multifaceted
nature of the film. Guilty is a taut and compelling thriller
that's also a scathing look at the roles played
by the media and judicial bureaucracy in
upending the scales of justice."