ACCUSED (Hindi)- My Flash Review!

This is a film set in London. The opening scenes revolve around a female protagonist, played by Konkana Sen, who is a reputed doctor at a hospital. She is seemingly very successful at work, which creates its own problems for her. Within a few minutes, we see her getting into trouble at the workplace when she is accused of being a sexual predator. What starts as a one-off anonymous complaint from a patient grows into a series of allegations, including one from a former colleague. Remember #MeToo?

The hospital follows the laid-down SOP in such cases and institutes an investigation by an external investigator. As the investigation progresses, is Sen able to come out of it unscathed? What kind of impact do the ongoing proceedings have on her relationships at home? Where does the investigation lead? These form the crux of the movie, or so it appears.

The focus, however, shifts to domestic relationships. In a not-so-twist but a clear plot point right at the beginning, Sen’s character is in a queer relationship with another doctor. This aspect is treated in a matter-of-fact, mature manner in the film. Therefore, it is natural to expect a similar treatment throughout the rest of the film. However, what starts as an interesting premise degenerates into a relationship drama in the second half. The sequences that usually play out between a husband and a wife who are initially deeply in love and gradually lose their way due to mutual suspicion, jealousy, and external interference follow.

The investigative portions are written in a simplistic manner. Yet, if the film keeps you engaged throughout, it is due to the outstanding performances of the entire cast. Konkana Sen leads the pack with a powerhouse performance, owning the role of an ambitious woman constantly under pressure. Her partner, Meera, played by Pratibha Ranta, puts up a tough fight against Sen in terms of performance. Even the investigating officer does a neat job.

Technically, the film is slickly produced. Director Anubhuti Kashyap has done enough justice as a director to translate the written screenplay onto the big screen. However, the writing needed more depth, and in that sense, I would say the cast has been let down by the screenplay. This is a film that begins and proceeds quite interestingly for some time, then loses steam in the second half, only to redeem itself in the final moments. Therefore, it is a one-time watch. Accused is streaming now on Netflix.