Section 375 starring Akshaye Khanna and Richa Chaddha is clashing at the box office this week with Dream Girl and Pailwaan. The biggest reason to be excited about the film is to see Akshaye and Richa together in the same frame. They are two powerful actors who can burn the screen. The film is about Section 375 that deals with rape verdicts and has a backdrop of the #MeToo movement that rocked Bollywood last year. Here is our review of the film...

What is it about...

A famous married filmmaker gets accused of rape by a junior stylist working in his film. The forensic evidence nails him as guilty but there is more than what meets the eye. The case is being fought by two lawyers who have a mentor and protege relationship. Section 375 is also about law, which goes by evidence and not justice that is termed as an abstract concept by Akshaye Khanna in the film.

What is hot...

Akshaye Khanna is superb as the high-profile lawyer Tarun Saluja. Very few actors do sarcasm as brilliantly as Akshaye and his acting ranges from effortless to sparkling. His scenes with Sandhya Mridul are a delight to watch. Meera Chopra surprises us with a subtle and nuanced performance. Krutika Desai also leaves a mark. Richa Chaddha does well but sadly does not have the killer dialogues that are given to Akshaye. Section 375 has some good dialogues. Ajay Bahl and Manish Gupta have done a decent job at the writing table. The background music in the court scenes are also good though a tad excessive. The climax takes you by surprise, which is a good. Right from the laws to the presentation of evidence, the research looks thorough.

What is not

The film moves at a snail's pace, which makes you lose interest at times. It is unfortunate that Richa Chaddha does not have some kick-ass lines as her character is described as one fiery kick-ass lawyer. Due to this she looks a little flat in front of Akshaye Khanna. We are left disappointed as it prevents the film from being a superb courtroom drama. The film could have been shorter by 15 minutes.

BL Verdict

The film is a good watch for Akshaye Khanna fans. It has some good insight into the hearings of rape cases. Most importantly, it gives us a perspective into different point of views. It is a decent one-time watch for those who like this genre.

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