Plot:
Nayonika Sengupta’s (Kajol) husband Rajiv (Jisshu Sengupta) is charged for bribery and for taking sexual favours. With her husband in police custody, Nayonika takes up the onus to provide for her family. After over a decade, she comes out of her retirement as a lawyer and starts to work in a reputed law firm where she takes up a number of different critical cases. The story that follows, focuses on how valiantly she deals with challenges that arise in her personal and professional life.
What works:
The Trial has an engaging screenplay. It doesn’t beat around the bush and gets straight to the point. The show has been adapted well by Suparn Verma to suit the Indian diaspora that it is primarily catering to. The fact that the trial subtly refers to the real life trial that Nayonika Sengupta goes through, makes the show even more immersive. The problems that she deals with, in her personal and professional life, have enough juice to hold viewers’ attention through the 8 episodes. The dynamic that Nayonika shares with her daughters particularly, has been explored very beautifully. The characters and instances in The Trial have striking similarities with that in real-life and that adds more weight to the narrative and makes it more relatable for the viewers who watch. The satirical commentary on the legal system has been carried out with conviction.
What doesn’t:
The Trial has a number of clichéd tropes that don’t allow it to become something extraordinary. Whenever it tries to go beyond its source material, it falls prey to ordinary treatment. There are several plot conveniences throughout the show that somewhat take away from the gritty and compelling show that The Trial tries hard to be. Nonetheless, the show has enough merit that can’t be ignored.
Performances:
Kajol essays her role of a ‘good wife’ with great finesse. She gives a formidable performance and carries the show on her able shoulders. She brings the right amount of vulnerability, helplessness and despair in her act. Her performance in The Trial reiterates the fact that she is among the best star actors we have in this country.
Jisshu Sengupta as Nayonika’s husband Rajiv gives a solid performance and is very convincing in his portayal of a guilty husband.
Kubair Sait as Sana, Sheeba Chaddha as Malini Khanna and Alyy Khan as Nayonika’s ex, Vishal, enhance the show with their layered performances. Other supporting actors in the show, do their job quite well too.
Verdict:
The Trial counts for a nice weekend binge despite few clichéd tropes and plot conveniences. It is adapted well to suit Indian sensibilities. You can watch the 8-episode series on Disney+Hotstar, now.
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