It’s been a month since Guilty released on Netflix and there is no wonder the film still makes its ranking into India Today’s top ten list. The film is based upon an on-going theme of molestation and rape which we have seen in a lot of Bollywood movies already. But Guilty is not just about rape. It is also about consent. It is about the fine line which exists between right and wrong. The film is set in a prestigious Delhi college with the backdrop of politics. Throughout the film, we come across various, often overlapping narratives that are meant to familiarise the viewers with both sides of the picture. But what makes Guilty different in the very first instance is its association with the #Metoo movement. It is about how the movement becomes an escape for women when there is no other medium left to raise their voice.

The title itself carries several connotations in its name. It is not just about making the culprit guilty of his crime, it is about not feeling guilty for standing up and fighting for justice. There are several ways in which society tries to question and malign the character of women. Guilty is about overcoming such character assassinations which are meant to objectify women. It is about shaming the people who shame you.

The trope of power dynamics is also important at various levels of the film. We see that the accused VJ is the son of a politician while the victim is a scholarship student from a small town. In numerous instances, the film raises several questions about the power and authority at the disposal of each side. Other than the political influence often used to rotate the situation in one’s favour, the film also portrays how such incidents get entwined with youth and regional politics which function as a medium of garnering public support. While on one hand, we are suspicious of VJ’s intentions, the narrative also makes us question if Tanu is right in her accusations. In between the argument of the victim and the accused, lies the central character of Nanki Dutta portrayed by Kiara Advani. Nanki is an unusually complex character. She is VJ’s girlfriend but throughout the film, she is perplexed about him being innocent. It seems as if she wants to believe he is speaking the truth and tries to deny the possibility of him raping Tanu. At times, the narrative also makes us question her actions, ‘If she has so much faith in VJ then why is she trying to uncover the truth behind the night?’ As the film progresses, it becomes quite clear that Nanki is a troubled character. Her denial of the accusations placed on VJ becomes a part of her confusion attached to her very own identity as she had been living her life in denial of such a horrific incident. Nanki then comes out as a grey character, who constantly muddles between truths and lies while grappling with a similar incident she faced in the past.

Taher Shabbir’s role as Danish Ali Baig is very interesting and important to the narrative. It takes us a while to understand that he is actually VJ’s defence lawyer and not a police officer. His portrayal as an advocate is phenomenal as he strives to not just winning but unravelling the truth. As Danish investigates the truth along with Nanki, we see that he stands for everything that she tries to resist. Like her, he too wants a clean chit for VJ but only after clarifying his innocence. At times, Nanki desires to be like him, however, her loyalty towards VJ prevents her from admiring his intellect and virtues.

Akansha Ranjan Kapoor’s performance as Tanu is also commendable. She is a poor but ambitious college girl who desires to get along with the most popular guy in college. Tanu represents the kind of woman who is often villainized and questioned on moral grounds by society. There is no doubt that the character is flawed and problematic but does that justify such a heinous crime committed on her body?’ This is what Guilty makes you think. Gurfateh Singh Pirzada as VJ manages to give an honest performance as it becomes hard to judge whether he is actually a culprit or is being unnecessarily framed for it.

The direction of the film is also praiseworthy. The grey shade of the film not only gives it a noir kind of feel but also forces us to question the motives of all the characters present. It takes us through multiple narratives that act as testimonies of the day which later becomes an important trope in unveiling the truth. The minor characters also have an active role in the film. Apart from VJ’s friends, there are certain stock characters like defence lawyer Mirchandani (Dalip Tahil) who turns a blind eye to the truth and insists only on winning and VJ’s mother whose obstinacy makes her negate any possibility of her son being involved in the crime.

I feel that the ending is strong and remarkable. Though the film is based on a sensitive issue and a repetitive concept, yet like most of the films, it doesn’t try to be didactic. In the last scene thus, the director skillfully reverses the dynamics of guilt. Instead of the rape victim being shamed, here it ends with the shaming of the culprit ultimately making him guilty of his crime.

The conflict between truths and lies is what makes Guilty a film worth your time. Though the scenes tend to overlap sometimes and the plot becomes clumsy yet there is something that keeps you going. It becomes a treat to watch Kiara Advani in such a powerful role after her docile image in Kabir Singh. Guilty undoubtedly turns out to be her best performance.