System Review:
Female solidarity is not reduced to a mere aesthetic in System, a legal-thriller fronted by powerhouse talents Sonakshi Sinha and Jyotika. Their first meet is more of a casual glance at each other. They are standing in front of a mirror in the ladies’ room, touching up. Sonakshi in a lawyer’s black overalls and Jyotika in a plain salwar kameez. Without resorting to any dialogue, Jyotika points at Sonakshi’s creased barrister-bands. The latter smoothens them. Jyotika gives a cordial smile and leaves.
Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Cast: Sonakshi Sinha, Jyotika, Ashutosh Gowariker and Vijayant Kohli
Streaming on: Prime Video
This brief scene imparts so much information. It is established that Sonakshi is a novice lawyer and that although Jyotika is not wearing a black coat, she might know a thing or two about law more than her. It is not just a meeting of two professionals, but also of two women who are ready to have each other’s back. No loud scenes of downing shots in a bar and discussing sexual escapades can depict the start of a female friendship better than this one, fleeting sequence.
Set in the ecosystem of a sessions court, System tells the story of Neha Rajvansh (Sonakshi), a privileged, rookie prosecutor who is being put through the grind by her father, Ravi Rajvansh (Ashutosh Gowariker), a big-fish lawyer. Neha is sweating (quite literally) at the public prosecutor’s office and is eager to join her home firm. The father puts up a condition: ten consecutive wins with no losses and she can jump up the ladder. To achieve the target, Neha takes the aide of Sarika (Jyotika), a court stenographer who, by virtue of sitting through so many arguments, has learnt some ropes of the legal system.
A team-up of an inexperienced lawyer and a sharp stenographer makes for a pulpy premise but notice how patiently director Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari (Nil Battey Sannata, 2016; Bareilly Ki Barfi, 2017) lays down the story. For an OTT release, the film doesn’t seem to be in a rush to thrill or excite just to keep the viewer hooked and takes needed time to cook. The court dealings are more technical than theatrical. The film has a geeky, technical lens towards the cases which makes for a more enjoyable experience. It’s in the minute details where System actually scores. The female experience is depicted as an everyday reality and not as a banner which can be cashed on. In a scene, Sonakshi’s Neha receives an intimate video from a male reporter. Her immediate reaction after watching the first few minutes is of angered discomfort. She even calls him to reprimand him, only to be told that the video is actually evidence for a case. It depicts how even the innocent act of receiving a video from an unknown sender can carry the risk of violation for a woman. The film also owns its female characters (Being the “heroine” Sonakshi retorts with “I am stinking” when her love interest calls her “sexy”) and shows them being as capable of scheming and slipping up as the men.
The personalities of Sonakshi’s Neha and Jyotika’s Sarika complement each other. The former goes around in a chauffeured car, while the latter is always haggard and late to reach anywhere. Sonakshi and Jyotika have great chemistry and it is intriguing to watch them solve cases as a desi, female detective-duo. Their characters come from different social and economic strata but what they share is the zeal to achieve justice.
Justice, however, is described as an elusive divinity in the film. The movie perpetuates that sometimes it’s justified to game the system in order to serve justice to the underprivileged. I am not sure if I agree with this vigilante style resolution. System is simplistic in its portrayal of the battle between the haves and the have-nots. It’s depiction of the patriarchal environment which women have to interact with at the workplace is much more layered. Witness how Neha’s father Ravi cuts her short while she states her argument in court. Him calling her “princess” is affectionate in the beginning but becomes patronizing as the rift between them widens. Ashutosh Gowariker performs the role with a steely assurance. He is effective, both as a demanding father and also as a cold patriarch.
System is only undone by its climax. The mystery is set up well but for the reveal the film chooses a pulpy resolution which can feel lukewarm, even gimmicky. It confuses revenge with justice and ties up awkwardly.
