Criminal Justice 4 review: Stellar Pankaj Tripathi cross-examines average legal drama

India Today

30-05-2025

The new season of 'Criminal Justice 4' makes it even easier for you to believe in the God-like acting prowess of Pankaj Tripathi. He carries the story on his back and makes it to the finish line without panting or halting midway. But, just because he can, should he? Should he be carrying the weight of the story on his back and running solo in a race?advertisementIn 'Criminal Justice Season 4', Tripathi reprises his no-nonsense, everyman's man, defence lawyer, Madhav Mishra. He walks the talk as Mishra, and never lets you get bored. Mishra's dialogues about privilege background, trading one's dignity and the 'third player in a running match' provide the most amount of entertainment in the series. Only this time, you want more. Not from him, but from the story.The season, aptly titled 'A Family Matter', features Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub as Dr Raj Nagpal and Surveen Chawla as his estranged wife, Anju Nagpal - both co-accused in the murder of a nurse, Roshni Saluja (Asha Negi). Saluja, a good-looking woman from a humble background, also happens to be the care-taker of the couple's daughter with special needs, and Nagpal's lover. One morning, as Anju enters her estranged husband's flat located right in front of hers, she finds her housekeeper standing shocked at the gate looking at a bloody Raj carrying Saluja's dead body. The hell breaks loose. One among them is the killer. But, it's neither easy to tell nor easy to investigate. At least for some time, though. advertisement
The eight-episode series, out of which only three have been aired right now, tells the story from Mishra's eyes. While the women in the show leave a lasting impact, this is probably one rare series which treats Ayyub as nothing more than a plot device. For a layered actor like him, Dr Raj Nagpal becomes a half-baked character, lacking both the moral dilemma and shock of losing a lover.Both Chawla and Negi become the assisting wheels in Tripathi's carriage, which keeps moving on a bumpy road. While Chawla's straight-faced performance exposes the pain and discomfort that Anju is dealing with, Negi successfully makes you empathise with her 'other woman' emotions. Khushboo Atre as Mishra's vivacious wife, Ratna, adds the perfect colours to an otherwise black-and-white legal drama.But, it's not the performance that keeps you from calling it a full-blown, engaging legal drama. It's more to do with the story, which appears equal parts lethargic and predictable.You see, the idea of a murder mystery is to leave you guessing till the very end. To make you wonder if the person you think has murdered the victim is the real murderer or not. And if you are able to crack the answer in a few episodes, then what are you even watching? So, while 'Criminal Justice Season 4' is not boring fluff, it doesn't offer a wholesome, gripping experience.advertisementA few scenes look immensely stretched, and a few others give you a deja vu from the previous seasons of the franchise. Once you are into it, you'll want to binge-watch until the end, but once you are at the end, the end will not look compelling enough. Or at least you'd feel like you want more from the show. 'Criminal Justice Season 4' is an average thriller-legal watch on OTT. But, Tripathi is not cut for average. In a show where he's rising above 100 per cent, the series itself has to land absolutely and perfectly well. At this pace, the series makes half-hearted efforts to impress you, and rests too heavily on Tripathi's dependable shoulders. A tighter plot, sharper tension and fuller character arcs would have made it a crown-worthy winner of the genre. Right now, it's just a hopeful contestant who fumbled lines at the audition and has been asked to try again next season.A case of a case which might not be a mistrial, but is too safe, predictable and lacks a historical judgment. -- The review was done after watching all eight episodes of the series.3 out of 5 stars to 'Criminal Justice Season 4'
IN THIS STORY#Pankaj Tripathi