Pankaj Tripathi’s Madhav Mishra has gone from being one of the reasons to follow the Criminal Justice series to being the main attraction. The formidable lawyer, whose sangfroid comes wrapped in a steeliness forged by his humble origins, was introduced in the JioHotstar show’s first season in 2019. In the fourth and latest season, Madhav is once again at the front and centre of the proceedings.
In the third season from 2022, Madhav had moved from the back of a Maruti van into his own office. Vertical mobility awaits Madhav in Criminal Justice – A Family Matter. He is offered a position in a prestigious law firm. But before that, Madhav – part attorney and part detective – must solve the mystery of who has slashed a nurse’s throat, and why.
Roshni (Asha Negi) is found dead at the apartment of her lover, the surgeon Raj (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub). Although Raj is separated from his wife Anju (Surveen Chawla), they share parenting responsibilities of their Asperger’s syndrome-affected daughter Ira (Khushi Bhardwaj). Raj is an instant suspect, as is Anju, who lives in the apartment across from Raj.
Among the returning characters are the advocate Mandira (Mita Vashisht), public prosecutor Lekha (Shweta Basu Prasad) and police inspector Gauri (Kalyanee Mulay). Madhav’s super-chirpy wife Ratna (Khushboo Atre) is back too, promoted from beauty parlour owner to unofficial paralegal – a contrivance that gives Ratna something to do in a show that doesn’t really have room for her.
Directed by Rohan Sippy – who also helmed the second and third editions – the Hindi-language A Family Matter is an improvement on its most recent, overwrought season. The latest eight-episode series is based on a story by Harman Wadala, Rahul Ved Prakash, Varsha Ramachandran and Riya Poojary, and a screenplay by Wadala, Sandeep Jain and Sameer Mishra.
The themes include temptation – a partnership for Madhav, Roshni’s unwise dalliance with Raj, the efforts of Lekha and Mandira to avenge their previous defeats by Madhav. Mandira dismisses Madhav as the “fluke artist of the century”. There are some missteps for Madhav and his assistants Shivani (Barkha Singh) and Deep (Aatm Prakash Mishra) as they develop their defence.
This being a legal drama with heavy lashings of a detective thriller, the focus is on the investigation rather than meaningful character development. Inspector Gauri pursues leads with eyeball-straining zeal, but she is no match for Madhav’s Sherlockian laser gaze.
The ample twists and red herrings provide a distraction from the lip service paid to “justice for all”. Madhav’s gradual entry into the upper reaches of society, coupled with Ratna’s aspirational ways, allow a subtle class bias to creep into Criminal Justice.
Larger questions of the meaning of justice for victims and perpetrators have been set aside for a jolly good time in Madhav Mishra’s delightful company.
The series has settled for mild fireworks inside the courtroom and light comedy outside it, chiefly emanating chiefly from Madhav’s textbook Hindi-aided drollery. The most engrossing scenes revolve around the cross-examination of witnesses, which gives Madhav pause for thought – is his folksy approach always successful?
This is the only extent to which Madhav grows as a character. Pankaj Tripathi is typically superb as Madhav, smoothly moving from self-deprecating wit to empathy. But the lack of a serious challenger to Madhav is glaring, despite impressive efforts by the advocates played by Shweta Basu Prasad and Mita Vashisht.
The easy-going tone sobers up only in the presence of Surveen Chawla’s murder accused. Chawla is excellent as Anju, whose personality has hidden layers and secrets. Chawla plays Anju with the right correct of gravitas and feeling, giving A Family Matter much-needed heft.
