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Section 375 Movie Review : Courtroom drama that keeps you on the edge

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Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive . Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.

Kaushik Biswas 2139 834 days ago

One of the best movie of this year, International touch make this movie more attractive.

mohd ilyas 1165 days ago

This movie is based on English movie "Witness for Prosecution" of 1982. English movie is based on Agatha Christie's book of 1925. Although Article 375 is good in little changed form, but the English movie is just SPOT ON. Watch the English version for its orignal form and beauty.

viru rok 15198 1449 days ago

society centric film good to invest your time

rsjh djkk 1457 days ago

Arnab ghosh 1457 days ago, visual stories.

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Akshaye and Richa’s ‘Section 375’ Is a Tricky But Compelling Watch

Ajay bahl’s courtroom drama ‘section 375’ is a gripping film., section 375.

( Alert: This review contains spoilers.)

Did he or did he not? Is she or is she not? These questions invariably become the crux of the plot of filmmaker AJay Bahl’s compelling courtroom drama Section 375, which hits a screen near you this Friday. Written by Manish Gupta, Section 375, with the able help of actors Akshaye Khanna, Richa Chadha, Meera Chopra and Rahul Bhat, provokes the viewer to acknowledge how impossible it becomes to analyse, investigate and judge an intangible complex web of allegations and counter allegations that involve human emotions, relationships, hierarchy at the workplace, ego, lust and betrayal.

Akshaye Khanna, as high profile lawyer Tarun Saluja, sets up the theme of Section 375 at the very start. While lecturing a bunch of law students, he brings up the Nirbhaya case as an example to leave them with a piece of advice, “Justice is abstract, while law is a fact,” he says.

“A convicted rapist also has a legal right to receive a proper legal defence,” argues Tarun when his wife questions him about taking up Rohan’s case after he is convicted by a lower court.

The story of Section 375 is pretty simple - filmmaker Rohan Khurana (Rahul Bhat) is accused of raping a junior costume assistant, Anjali Dangle (Meera Chopra), at his residence. With all the circumstantial evidence piled up against him, Rohan is found guilty and sentenced to 10-years of rigorous imprisonment by a local court. Rohan’s wife approaches the hot shot Tarun Saluja (Akshaye Khanna) to fight his case in the Mumbai High Court, and a fiery Hiral Gandhi (Richa Chadha) appears to represent the survivor. How what appears to be a simple open-and-shut case then unravels into a tangled mess of truth and lies forms the rest of the story.

Story and screenplay writer Manish Gupta along with Ajay Bahl (credited for additional screenplay) keep the viewers guessing and engaged by peeling off layer by layer, the exact sequence of events, through statements, confessions and witness narratives, to suggest what might have happened at that fateful meeting between Rohan and Anjali.

For all its strengths, Section 375 does have its shortcomings too. For one, the build-up of the two main characters - the lawyers (played by Akshaye and Richa), who represent the survivor and the accused, is skewed.

“A convicted rapist also has a legal right to receive a proper legal defence,” argues Tarun when his wife questions him about taking up Rohan’s case after he is convicted by a lower court. The rest of the narrative then goes on to step-by-step counter all the charges levelled against Rohan, there’s a whole lot of grey here, and that’s what keeps the proceedings gripping.

For all its strengths, Section 375 does have its shortcomings too. For one, the build-up of the two main characters - the lawyers (played by Akshaye and Richa), who represent the accused and the survivor, is skewed. Akshaye’s character is well defined, his background, family, home is effectively sketched and he is also given the smarter comebacks, while Richa’s Hiral is barely fleshed out.

A sly and shrewd Akshaye, who’s batting for the accused, is shown to have an opinionated but supportive wife, while Richa who’s an ambitious lawyer and is passionate about women’s rights has broken up with her progressive boyfriend (who still cooks for her by the way). Also, the sequences depicting protests by activists outside the Mumbai High Court to give the narrative a sense of drama are way over-the-top at times.

While one should not question the existence of a film like Section 375, it gets a little tricky when such an accomplished film is made (as one of the character in the film states) “to prove that this case is a classic example of a woman using as a weapon the very law that was made to protect her.” One can almost hear the MRAs cheering from the stands and shouting #MenToo, when the actual genuine cases of rape and sexual assault hugely outnumber the false ones.

But as Tarun quips at the end of Section 375 , “We’re not in the business of justice, we’re in the business of law.” So, is the law effectively enforced at the end of the trial? Yes. Is justice delivered at the end of the case? Well, that’s for you to find out.

The Quint’s Rating: A definite 3 and a half stars.

( At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a membe r . Because the truth is worth it. )

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Topics:    richa chadha      section 375      akshaye khanna  .

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Section 375 movie review: Akshaye Khanna, Richa Chadha deliver a brave film that raises questions

Section 375 movie review: akshaye khanna and richa chadha’s courtroom drama is a brave film that makes you think and raises important questions..

Section 375 Cast: Akshaye Khanne, Richa Chadha, Rahul Bhat, Meera Chopra Director: Ajay Bahl

Courtroom drama is Bollywood’s favourite formula that is tried-and-tested. With power-packed punchlines, influential lawyers fighting high-profile cases, and the verdict mostly giving out a strong message, courtroom tales are known to be gripping. And, therefore, it’s no surprise how Section 375 , based on Section 375 of Indian Penal Code (IPC), effortlessly manages to register its presence in the minds of people. Directed by Ajay Bahl with actors Akshaye Khanna and Richa Chadha in pivotal roles, it’s surely a brave and relevant film that tackles a rather complex issue — of laws made to protect women, and the very same laws being misused by women for their vested interest. The way narrative switches from one person’s point of view to another’s, presents both sides of the story.

Without unnecessary contrivances, the film’s story is pretty much as shown in its trailer. A movie director, Rohan Khurana (Rahul Bhat) is accused of raping the junior costume design assistant, Anjali Dangle (Meera Kapoor). He is deemed guilty and awarded a sentence of 10-year rigorous imprisonment. He appeals in the High Court and to defend his case, he hires a high-profile lawyer — the best in the business — Tarun Saluja (Akshaye Khanna), who tries to belittle every argument that the prosecution lawyer Hiral Gandhi (Richa Chadha) makes in the court.

Watch the trailer for Section 375:

The film doesn’t feel dragged at any point and sends out the messages it intends to, quite early on. It touches upon its main premise of making the audience aware of what Section 375 is about. As otherwise perceived that ‘no rape happens without a woman’s consent’, the film strongly emphasises on the need to differentiate between ‘will’ and ‘consent’, the two main requisites when it comes to sex.

The courtroom scenes are loaded with data, statistics, facts and figures laid out on a platter for you to digest at one go. However, don’t complain if you miss Sunny Deol’s signature ‘tareekh pe tareekh’ monologue from Damini, or Amitabh Bachchan’s rulebook on women’s safety in Pink or Taapsee Pannu’s speech on secularism in Mulk, because Section 375 has no such over-the-top loud or screaming scenes in the courtroom.

However, there are ample heavy-weight dialogues that form the soul of this film and writer Manish Gupta deserves a special mention for that. Imagine these said in a brooding tone: ‘We’re not in the business of justice, we’re in the business of law’, ‘Law is not justice. It’s a tool to get there’, ‘Never fall in love with the law, it’s a jealous mistress’ and ‘Justice is abstract, law is a fact’. So much gravitas, no!

Then there are the intended puns placed cleverly in the script. For instance the scene in which Akshaye compares ‘daal, chawal, dahi’ to ‘defense, prosecutor and law’, or the scene in which the judge clarifies he doesn’t believe in ‘one-size-fits-all kind of decision’ when it comes to giving verdict in a case.

Among the cast, Akshaye Khanna impresses with his intense and gritty performance in every frame, though he definitely could have worked a bit more on his flat facial expressions that he didn’t let go of throughout the film. Following suit is Richa Chadha who proves yet again why she is one of the finest we have in Bollywood. Her nuanced act as a junior lawyer, evidently overwhelmed, as she fights her career’s first big case against someone who was once her boss, deserves applause. Kishore Kadam and Krutika Desai as judges, Sandhya Mridul and Shriswara as the protective wives are performances that add value to the script.

The film gives you a deep insight into what goes on in the minds of those holding the position of power, who think it’s normal to violate a woman’s mind and body with or without her consent. At one point, Rahul Bhat’s character is shown yelling at the female costume assistant because she dared to ‘think’.

Section 375 also shows the corrupt side of our judicial system. Despite the lawyer’s wife warning him that ‘given today’s scenario, it’s not right to defend a rape accused’, and that they have a young daughter, he goes ahead and takes up the case. And in his defense, his 8-year-old watches cartoon network, so chances are unlikely she would spot her father on news channels, being involved in such a case. That’s not it. Familiarising you with our legal system, Section 375 shows how this senior lawyer puts in more research into knowing the personal traits and track record of the judge assigned to his case, than the file of his client.

Also read: Milind Soman on the age gap between him and wife Ankita: It is same as the difference ‘between my age and my mother’s age’

The film also brings you closer to the harsh reality of our system in which the rape victim is subjected to shamefully explicit questions. Questions such as ‘What was the position while she was being raped, was there proper penetration, did the accused ejaculate’and so on and so forth, would make you cringe.

To conclude, Section 375 is a well-timed film with the MeToo movement still finding its ground. As it rightly states, ‘every false accusation of rape is another nail in the coffin of an actual rape victim’. This film raises important questions and leaves you thinking.

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Section 375

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Section 375 on Prime Video Movie Review: A Heavy-Handed But Effective Riff On The Discourse Of Sexual Abuse

Director: Ajay Bahl

Cast: Akshaye Khanna, Richa Chadha , Meera Chopra, Rahul Bhat

In a post- Pink universe, you'd be naive to believe that a Hindi film director would fashion yet another mainstream courtroom drama prosecuting the politics of consent. In a post-MeToo universe, you'd be equally naive to believe that a male Hindi film director would fashion a mainstream drama persecuting the male Hindi film director as a serial sex offender. Couple this with writer Manish Gupta's interviews about the 'misuse of rape laws' and it's pretty clear why Ajay Bahl's Section 375 exists. It's to tell us that "No means no" is the new 'due procedure' of the law (and cultural discourse) – and that this isn't always a good thing. For instance, within the first ten minutes, an arrogant Bollywood director named Rohan Khurana (Rahul Bhat) is arrested and sentenced by a Sessions Court after his young costume assistant, Anjali Dangle (Meera Chopra), accuses him of rape and assault. A famous criminal lawyer takes up his defense, appeals for a High Court hearing, and a chunk of the story unfolds as a relentless Rohan v/s The State case. The film already enters imaginary territory here – there's no trial by reportage or social media, there's straightaway a trial by law. If only.

Also Read: Meghna Gulzar, Swara Bhasker And Parvathy On How To Prevent The #MeToo Movement From Getting Derailed

I'm not sure what it says about our creative culture that, a year after #MeToo reached Indian shores, the first commercial movie acknowledging the epidemic of high-profile predators within the film industry chooses to address the ambiguity of the claims rather than the victimhood of the cases. But Section 375 is what it is. I may not agree with the overall purpose of the film, but it does an effective job of contextualizing the collateral damage – the "MenToo" fallout – without explicitly taking sides. In one sense, Section 375 is brave, foolhardy almost – like a wish-fulfillment exercise that examines the legal consequences of a survivor actually trusting the judiciary system and risking her life/career. In another sense, the film is instantly difficult, unlikeable even, because it dares to probe – and, at times, challenge – the mood of a newly woke nation. Most importantly, despite its misguided social standing, Section 375 has a conscience. 

The film achieves a tricky balance between the demonisation of the survivor and the humanization of the perpetrator – without diluting the abuse-of-power narrative

Pink was criticized for its male-saviour syndrome: Amitabh Bachchan plays the righteous lawyer who saves a group of violated girls by educating a nation about consent. But Section 375 seems to be aware of the irony of a male lawyer trying to educate a system – and a country – about the red beneath the pink. Thankfully, this man is not portrayed as a sweaty underdog or model citizen; the gaze is still decidedly grey and…feminist. The wealthy protagonist, Tarun Saluja, channels the status and conscience of the film in many ways: Nobody in the court likes him, he is haughty and patronizing, he pisses everyone off at some point (including the judges), but he is the only one with a voice that can cut through the clutter. He is the only one – however privileged, and driven by publicity or money – who is willing to ask uncomfortable questions. Nothing is too sensitive for him. And he stakes his reputation on his cold devotion to logic. The character is a classic courtroom villain (a cousin of, say, Boman Irani 's Jolly LLB persona), but the actor has the vibe of a know-it-all hero. Akshaye Khanna's performance is important in how it suggests that the man knows his pompous personality is an extension of his role in the case. He isn't supposed to be supported. He seems to be someone who is deliberately designing his immodest attitude to protect the film from deifying its anti-populist message. Some of his lines ("Is the rape of the mind as serious a crime as the rape of a body?") – which mirrors the film's thought bubbles – hit the mark, while his studied diction is built to annoy. His lopsided grin is important for how it places him as the man with factual ambitions, in comparison to Richa Chadha's woman with noble intentions. You often feel that her character, Hiral Gandhi, is overcome by solidarity rather than sense. A direct companion to Chadda's Hiral would be Vera Farmiga and Felicity Huffman's roles as emotion-driven prosecutors in the Netflix series, When They See Us .

There are, however, a few inconsistencies. The actress, Meera Chopra, fails to alter an urban accent that is at odds with the socio-economic standing of the character. She is also a little too obvious – almost vixen-like – in the man's version of the events. The incident is shot in a way that is visibly designed to accommodate different points of view from different narrators. The film only offers glimpses of the external hype (media coverage, protests, Tarun's family) without fully committing to this dimension. Moreover, the canteen scenes between a sincere Chadda and a hammy Khanna – where he, the guru, speaks in metaphors to his ex-protege – are heavy handed. Rahul Bhat overdoes the man-in-crisis stereotype, but the casting helps to mess with the viewer's perception of guilt. 

Also Read: Best Bollywood Climax Speeches From The Last 20 Years

What's most notable is how Tarun sounds occasionally apologetic to the girl he is out to expose. His tone is interesting. His moral compass is not entirely compromised. Like the film, he knows that he is treading on dangerous territory, but his passion for the profession – and his heartbreak at the loopholes of the legal system – is apparent. He feels the need to remind us through grandstanding monologues that if Anjali has been wronged, her desire for revenge is correct ("my client is not a good man") but her method is doing a disservice to the thousands of true victims. This is the film admitting that monsters exist, and maybe the law isn't equipped to deal with them. That it still achieves a tricky balance between the demonisation of the survivor and the humanization of the perpetrator – without diluting the abuse-of-power narrative – is a testament to the stubborn writing (monotonous, like a dull pain) of Section 375 . "Justice is abstract," Tarun sermonises at one point. Credit to the makers, then, for recognizing that a film made to deconstruct the notion of justice can be anything but abstract. 

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Film Review: 'Section 375' is a must-watch

The courtroom drama film looks at sexual violence against women, a hot topic in india today.

Akshaye Khanna‎, right and ‎Richa Chadda in 'Section 375'. Panorama Studios

Cast: Akshaye Khanna, Richa Chadha, Meera Chopra & Rahul Bhat

Director: Ajay Bahl

Producers: Kumar Mangat Pathak, Abhishek Pathak & SCIPL

Rating: 3.5/5

Section 375 is a gripping ride that keeps viewers engrossed in a courtroom drama as two lawyers debate a high-profile and highly-publicised rape case. The film, whose title is taken from the corresponding clause in the Indian Penal Code, tells the story of a film director accused of rape by a female crew member. The courts - sessions and then high court – must arrive at a conclusion under pressure from human rights activists and in full public glare on social media.

Tarun Saluja (played by Akshaye Khanna) is a successful criminal lawyer defending the director (Rahul Bhat) and Hiral Gandhi (Richa Chadha) is the prosecution lawyer who represents Anjali Dange (Meera Chopra).

The rape case becomes a debate about the necessary protection of women against sexual violence, versus the misuse of laws by women seeking vengeance against former lovers. The film, indeed, turns out to be a "balanced narrative" as Khanna and Chadha told The National on the eve of the film's release .

Khanna is rock-solid in his performance as the level-headed, practical sort of person who lives by his motto of lawyers “being in the business of law, not justice” until the end.

Chadha, who has stood out in her previous roles, gives a good performance. Although it's worth point out that she has been given weaker dialogues.  The script is however super tight after having been wrung out by two writers in the pre-production of the film, which, paradoxically saw its own real legal fight. Originally written by Manish Gupta and also to be directed, matters of screenplay led to disputes with the producers with the court having to intervene.

Gupta made way for Ajay Bahl, director of the critically acclaimed B.A Pass , and the end product proved it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Akshaye and Ajay  have been the driving force of the film.

As Bahl fits in scenes depicting public outrage as timely reminders to the courtroom drama being played out, the two judges – played by Kritika Desai and Kishore Kadam - deliver equally strong layered performances. There are subtle hints of their own personal baggage involved, a tinted glass through which they must read and deliver their rulings. .

The film, which is based on true events, is a suspense thriller in many ways that has all the trappings of a John Grisham novel. Incidentally, Grisham's first novel, A Time To Kill , published in 1989, was based on circumstances around a rape incident with racism at its core. In this case, the story relates to India's share of the #MeToo movement.

Simply put, it is a must-watch.

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Section 375 movie review: A solid courtroom drama

Section 375 is a solid courtroom drama, with good performances all round, which keeps us engaged right through, even through some of the film’s hiccups..

Section 375 movie cast: Akshaye Khanna, Richa Chadha, Meera Chopra, Rahul Bhat, Kishore Kadam, Krutika Desai, Shree Swara Section 375 movie director: Ajay Bahl Section 375 movie rating: Three stars

Section 375 is a timely film. It comes at a time when the impact of #MeToo appears to have ebbed, if you go by the noise created by social media platforms, but is in fact finding its way forward, and digging in.

This is a movement which is here to stay, and like all movements, it will have its high and low moments: Section 375: Marzi Ya Zabardasti has an on-the-nose title, but manages to include several welcome, complex grey areas in its telling.

The setting is the film industry in Mumbai . For a Bollywood movie to focus on the sexual exploitation rampant on set is not a new thing, but in a post-#MeToo period, it assumes fresh significance.

A complaint of rape by junior costume designer Anjali Dangle (Chopra) against director Rohan Khurana (Bhat) is the pivot around which the plot revolves. Defence lawyer, top legal eagle Tarun Saluja (Khanna) makes the case that it was a matter of consent and that it’s an affair gone wrong; the victim’s lawyer Hiral Mehta (Chadha) wants the court to see beyond the ‘facts of the case’, and have justice served.

It’s well known that the law will almost always be skewed in favour of the rich and the powerful, and in this case, the accused whose sense of entitlement remains even when he is behind bars. Khurana blusters and scowls as the suave Saluja keeps holding out hope: we will go by the facts as recorded, he says, and those will get you free.

The result is a solid courtroom drama, with good performances all round, which keeps us engaged right through, even through some of the film’s hiccups. To produce disturbing evidence of physical harm in camera is one thing, but to display it repeatedly to the court and to us, the audience, borders on the voyeuristic. Not nice. Also, the conflation of national pride and rape statistics in India is ludicrous and wrong: rape is a crime, and it needs punishment, wherever in the world it happens to be committed.

But what saves the film is the way the court (and for once, it is good to see the judges not just as paper cut-outs but with people who want to do the right thing, and both Kadam and Desai are impressive) articulates its conclusion. Consent is imperative every single time, even between people who have been intimate before; and the wielding of power in the workplace and demanding sexual favours in exchange of career advancement is a crime. No two ways about it.

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Section 375 (2019): Revisiting The Compelling Courtroom Drama

It’s tricky to express one’s views on Ajay Bahl’s Section 375 (2019) without giving anything away. However, I shall try my luck. I caught the movie, almost a year after its theatrical release, expecting nothing more than an engaging thriller. What I was not expecting was how it achieved in making pertinent arguments without taking any sides. One does not expect a mainstream Hindi movie on this sensitive topic with a tagline – ‘Marzi ya Zabardasti’ followed by a question mark, to do that. So, I had my share of apprehensions. To my surprise, there was nuance to the story.

The plot is not too complicated on the surface. A renowned film director is accused of rape by a lesser privileged costume designer on his film set. The rest of the story unfolds layer by layer in the form of courtroom proceedings between public prosecutor Hiral Gandhi (Richa Chadha) & the defense Tarun Saluja (Akshaye Khanna).

Recommended List: 10 Best Hindi Films of 2019

Section 375 (2019) puts on display, the usual tropes of a courtroom drama – live demonstrations, surprise witnesses, the missing but crucial evidence & heavy dialogues, to great effect. The biggest feat of the film is that it manages to do so without making caricatures of both the victim & the accused. The movie is never politically incorrect, for instance, the defense never resorts to character assassination of the victim to make his case.

There is depth to the case in discussion and it keeps you guessing what actually went down. Ever since the movement gained momentum, there has been a lot of conversation about the aftermath of the allegations. The need to have an organized movement has been stressed time and again by the proponents, and the very lack of one has been ridiculed by naysayers.

The film provides no answers to this but does go down to explore the sensitive territory of the layers of harassment in the workplace, and what might or might not constitute it. What didn’t quite work for me, were the graphic scenes regarding the incident in question. Since there were multiple versions of the incident, watching each one play out was disturbing, to say the least.

About the performances, Akshaye Khanna as the constantly sneering defense lawyer is at complete ease & seems to be having a ball. Section 375 (2019) is a reminder of why we need more of him on our screens. It helps that his character has the most screen time & gets all the necessary background. In an initial scene, Khanna’s character explains why he’s taking the accused director’s case – to fund his pro bono work for the lesser privileged, immediately absolving him of any wrong. In this, we get a self-aware central character with a solid arc.

The same can’t be said about Chadha who tries to make the most of her underwritten part. We never get to see her outside court. There is one scene between the two that tells us Hiral & Tarun were once colleagues. But apart from that, the righteous rage of the character is not effectively given the depth it deserves, especially in the hands of a powerhouse like Chadha.

Apart from the leads, Rahul Bhat & Meera Chopra in their respective roles of the accused & victim do a convincing job. A word also for Kishore Kadam & Kruttika Desai, who as the two-judge bench presiding over the case, put in their A-game.

Similar To Section 375 (2019): Pink (2016): Coloring Them In Shame

Personally, I love movies that make for great post-watch conversation. Section 375 (2019) ticked all boxes needed for that – grey characters, arguments on the use & misuse of laws made to protect women, the power dynamics involved in workplace harassment; and what will & consent actually mean.

The last time a film on a similar topic started conversations was Pink in 2016. Only three years later, times have changed – this is the post #MeToo era. One might argue that the first film associated with this movement need not have been one which raises questions. One might also argue that the Indian audience isn’t ready for this kind of nuance. As for me, Section 375 makes for a compelling watch, regardless of what your opinions on the movement might be.

Section 375 (2019) Links: Amazon Prime Video , IMDb , Wikipedia

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Section 375 Movie Review: Akshaye Khanna is the soul of this film examining rape cases from another vantage

Section 375 is a riveting courtroom drama that highlights ‘legality and technicalities of law’ takes prominence over ‘perceived justice’.

Section 375

Section 375 Cast: Akshaye Khanna, Richa Chadha, Meera Chopra, Rahul Bhat & Kruttika Desai 

Section 375 Director: Ajay Bahl

Section 375 Stars: 3/5

In 2016, Pink a courtroom drama on Section 375 heightened awareness on the importance of consent with the famous dialogue: She said, NO. Three years later, Section 375 is an attempt to take it further by highlighting the conspicuous absence of either -- consent or will – is important to define rape as per law. Section 375 is a riveting and engaging courtroom drama that opens up the audience to the gender pushback #MenToo movement. The movie is a reminder that sometimes what seems like an open-and-shut case during media and social media trials are convoluted.

The story of Section 375 begins with Anjali Dangle (Meera Chopra) a junior costume designer who visits an arrogant and famous film director Rohan Khurana (Rahul Bhat) at his home to show him the costumes for his upcoming film. Later, a distraught Anjali is shown opening up to her sibling that she was raped and molested by Rohan. The police file a case under Section 375 against Rohan, and the Sessions Court convicts him. Till this point, the story narrates Anjali’s desperate attempts to put up a fight for her right even while answering insensitive questions of a curt medical officer (Dibyendu Bhattacharya).

ALSO READ:   Richa Chadha says gender parity within workforce will sensitise one to women crimes

The movie, however, takes a bold turn when Rohan’s wife Kainaaz (Shriswara) approaches famous criminal lawyer Tarun Saluja (Akshaye Khanna) to be her husband’s defence counsel in the Bombay High Court against his ex-protégé and public prosecutor Hiral Gandhi (Richa Chadha). As the case proceeds, Tarun uncovers facts which peel-off the skin from the open-and-shut case and attempts to turn it into vendetta case misusing the provisions of law against men. Hereon, the story becomes the tussle of vantages, warning the audience to be wary of choosing sides. If Pink was about how society blames rape victims, Section 375 highlights the misuse of gender-biased law.

The film is written by Manish Gupta of the Rahasya and Stoneman Murder fame, and co-written and directed by Ajay Bahl of the B.A Pass fame. Both Manish and Ajay have proven mastery in counter-perspectives. B.A. Pass looked at how a woman draws a young boy into prostitution, while Rahasya was a gutsy take on the infamous Noida teenager murder case accusing the parents. With Section 375, the duo has scripted an interesting battle of legal pragmatism, ethics and technicalities.

The first half is gripping but also befools audience to believe that it’s a predictable story. It's the second half and climax which makes this courtroom drama more interesting. At some point, you might find tangents to the Shiney Ahuja rape trial too. The cinematography is fantastic, ensuring that with each angle the story spins a different tale.

Akshaye Khanna owns this thriller and is the soul of the film. He has captured the demeanour of a senior lawyer with nuance, smirking at the immaturity of his ex-protégé and reminding her that they are in the business of law and not justice. It also reminds us of his character in the film, Deewangee, where he played a shrewd lawyer who defends a murder convict. Akshaye’s gives multiple shades to the character giving the impression of an arrogant and selfish lawyer. By the end of the film, you will also empathise and understand his perspective of legal duels.

ALSO READ:   Section 375:

ALSO READ:   Akshaye Khanna stands with conviction as he questions “Marzi ya Zabardsati” in new po

Richa Chadha has played her part of a defence lawyer cum activist convincingly. Meera Chopra surprises you with her character. Rahul Bhat justifies the character arc and ensures not to overplay it. Shriswara and Dibyendu Bhattacharya are emerging as dependable co-stars who albeit have very little screen-space, deliver.

Like any good courtroom drama, the film is laced with acidic dialogues. The two key dialogues sum-up the story: ‘We are in the business of law and not justice’, and ‘has any man acquitted of rape ever walked free?’ The film leaves the audience to wonder: Can truth have versions? The film is engaging and relevant for the time. But will it find takers, only time will tell. 

A Group Editor with over a decade of expertise in the field of entertainment & lifestyle. Vaibhavi V Risbood&

A Group Editor with over a decade of expertise in the field of entertainment & lifestyle. Vaibhavi V Risbood’s educational journey includes a background in Mass Communication and Journalism from L S Raheja College of Arts and Commerce, complemented by a Bachelor's degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Mumbai. With a rich history at companies like Times Internet and Dainik Bhaskar, Vaibhavi excels in newsroom management, news writing, content strategy, and product development. She is a skilled professional driving the world of entertainment journalism with her proficiency.

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• Section 375 Movie Review: Not Just Another Courtroom Drama; Pertinent And Gripping

Section 375 Movie Review: Not just another courtroom drama; pertinent and gripping

Akshaye khanna and richa chadha's section 375 raises some serious questions and asks whether you know the difference between will and consent..

Section 375 Movie Review

• Movie Name: Section 375
• Critics Rating: 3.5 / 5
• Release Date: September 13, 2019
• Director: Ajay Bahl
• Genre: Courtroom Drama

Is there any difference between will and consent? Many of us don't know and some of us don't even care to know. Section 375 starring Richa Chadha, Akshaye Khanna, Meera Chopra and Rahul Bhat in pivotal roles works as an eye-opener for those who are living under a rock. Helmed by Ajay Bahl, who has earlier directed B.A. Pass, Section 375 is intriguing, hard-hitting and at the same time a relevant film.

Who doesn't love a courtroom drama? A sure shot box office success. However, this is not just regular courtroom drama where you get a mandatory monologue, intermittent 'order, order' served with 'high-pitched' dialogues. This is what we have mostly seen in Hindi films with exceptions such as Jolly LLB and Shahid to name a few. The movie revolves around Section 375 of IPC, which defines rape and Ajay Bahl directorial is the tale of two sides of a coin. The movie talks about the misuse of the law.

Without much delay, Section 375 begins right away without much deviation. Keeping its focus intact on the story and script, Section 375 sets the mood and tone right from the beginning. A junior costume design assistant, Anjali Dangle (Meera Kapoor) gets allegedly raped by popular director Rohan Khurana (Rahul Bhat), which makes it a high-profile case. The constant media glare and online trial make things more complex and that's when lawyer Tarun Saluja (Akshaye Khanna)-the best in the business-comes to defend Rohan. On the other hand, Hiral Gandhi (Richa Chadha), Tarun's former protégé regarded as the torchbearer of women's rights argues in the court for Anjali.

Section 375 is a relevant movie.

When you are treated with lines such as- ''We’re not in the business of justice, we’re in the business of law'', ''Law is not justice. It’s a tool to get there'', ''Justice is abstract, law is a fact'' and that too, in the beginning, you don't take enough time to realise that this one is unique. With these dialogues, Akshaye Khanna talks about vested interests of all the parties involved in delivering justice which according to him is a business.

Section 375 keeps you on the edge

Throughout Section 375, you can't decide on whose side you are. The narrative switches from victim to accused with your sympathy too moving like a pendulum. Section 375 gives a glimpse of societal shame that the victim has to undergo right from lodging FIR to medical checkup. The questions asked by the medical examiner to Anjali about ejaculation and penetration will make you cringe.

Akshaye Khanna proves yet again why he is considered one of the gems of Hindi film industry. Mere his presence is enough to lift a film. Each and every time, the actor appears on the screen, he steals the show. He has some of the best lines which he delivers in his own signature style. Richa Chadha is earnest and she tries to keep it real and simple. However, you feel the energy lacking in her nuanced performance. While you get a glimpse of Tarun Saluja's personal life, there is no such arch in Richa's character. Rahul Bhat and Meera Chopra are pitch-perfect in portraying the emotions of their characters. Kishore Kadam, Krutika Desai and Sandhya Mridul as character actors aptly support the film.

Section 375 does become predictable as it inches towards its end but that will not hamper your interest. It is a well-written film by Manish Gupta and there are no such glaring flaws to disappoint you. Having said that, remember, Section 375 doesn't give you that stereotypical dose of entertainment. 

Watch Section 375 Trailer

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Section 375 movie review: Richa Chadha, Akshaye Khanna play off each other well in this nuanced film

Section 375 does not take a shrill, moralistic stand. It also does not cave to Bollywood-ised courtroom hysteria

Under Section 375, the Indian Penal Code clearly defines rape as “sexual intercourse with a woman against her will, without her consent, by coercion, misrepresentation or fraud or at a time when she has been intoxicated or duped, or is of unsound mental health and in any case if she is under 18 years of age.”

This is one of a handful of sections under which film director Rohan Khurana (Rahul Bhatt), accused of rape by Anjali Dangle (Meera Chopra), is found guilty and sentenced to 10 years jail time, in the film  Section 375.  

Director Ajay Bahl efficiently shows us Anjali’s modest life. Her job as a junior costume designer brings her into contact with Khurana on that fateful day. Bahl doesn’t hold back the punches when we observe the ignominy of a survivor answering a direct line of questioning by a medical examining officer filing a rape report: Have you been sexually active? Did you resist? What was your position? 

Khurana’s wife enlists the services of a highly successful lawyer to appeal the sentence. Tarun Saluja (Akshaye Khanna), a senior advocate in the High Court, believes “justice is abstract; law is a fact”. He’s also clear that Khurana’s high-paying case will facilitate his pro bono work. He dives into the case, exploring every facet and positing in order to create reasonable doubt.

Prosecutrix Hiral Gandhi (Richa Chadha), a straight-shooting lawyer and Saluja’s protégé, takes charge of Anjali’s case. She banks heavily on the survivor’s testimony. Saluja is pragmatic. “We are not in the business of justice, we are in the business of law,” he says. Gandhi is less cynical and believes that justice needs to be served. 

Manish Gupta’s screenplay takes flight with the courtroom drama. The dialogue is loaded with detail and fact. The verbal jousting between the opposing lawyers, tackling a high profile case that is built on a reformed investigative process and interpretation of new laws, is balanced by the two-judge bench (played astutely by Kishore Kadam and Krutika Desai) that sharply brings the lawyers back on track.

Chadha and Khanna play off each other very well as off-court friends and in-court rivals in Section 375 . The latter’s arrogance and confidence is offset by the former’s inexperience and idealism. As they spar in the court, Bahl also captures public outrage and the trial by social media being conducted outside the stone building in his film.

Unfortunately we don’t see Gandhi applying any rigour while building her case. It’s also a shame that while Khurana’s wife and Saluja’s wife offer support and serve as a moral compass, Gandhi’s husband is painted as somewhat chauvinistic and irrelevant. Among the performances, Meera Chopra is the weak link. She neither evokes sympathy nor does she have the skills to walk the fine line of ambiguity. 

The cinematography and editing serve to keep Section 375  moody and moving at a decent pace. With Gupta’s fine writing, Section 375  does not take a shrill, moralistic stand. It also does not cave to Bollywood-ised courtroom hysteria (don’t expect grand chants of ‘Milord’), sticking to a highly charged narrative that nimbly looks at both sides of the case and, ultimately, defers to the rule of law.

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‘Section 375’ review: Myopic, ignorant and a train wreck

Thriving in grey areas initially, ‘section 375’ ultimately emerges as a deeply disturbing and injudicious film.

Updated - September 12, 2019 04:50 pm IST

Published - September 12, 2019 04:39 pm IST

A still from ‘Section 375’

As conflicted as one maybe about confining the critique of a film to the cinema hall, Section 375 reveals its precarious impact almost immediately as you step out of the auditorium. After press screening, as a few cameras hound attendees for their first reactions, a middle-aged lady praises the film and proceeds to say, “ Aisa bohut hota hain film industry main (this happens frequently in the film industry)”. Her reference is towards working-class women framing influential men to extort monetary and career benefits. Section 375 — which references several times to the Nirbhaya case, takes sheepish digs at the #MeToo movement (“the court of Twitter”) and captures the media pressure (both mainstream and social) surrounding a high-profile rape case —cannot absolve itself of its impact in the society. It validates and legitimizes the views of many, like this lady outside the auditorium, who perhaps would use this film as a reference point to proclaim, “Not all men”.

A filmmaker is at liberty to pick his subject, characters, have his worldview project on the screen or indulge in moral posturing. One cannot invalidate the possible real-life existence of a case like the one filmmaker Ajay Bahl presents in the film. But when a narrative — in its tone and decisions to reveal or hide certain “facts” — picks a side and ultimately projects a few (very) disturbingly graphic claims of self-harm to be true, there’s enough reason to hold the film liable. It’s hard to dissociate this film from the time in which it releases: a year after the #MeToo movement was at its peak in India. Today, we stand at a point where the ones accused are re-emerging into their respective professional lives, disregarding the movement through their films (hint: Super 30 ), or even downright ridiculing the collective resistance to sexual misconduct and patriarchal power dynamics. In this, you have Section 375, which doesn’t simply raise questions and explore the grey zones (which is undoubtedly imperative), but picks a side and ventures onto demonstrating how “law was served but justice was denied”.

• Director: Ajay Bahl
• Cast: Akshaye Khanna, Richa Chadda, Rahul Bhat, Meera Chopra
• Storyline: A High Court trial after a costume designer accuses a filmmaker of rape

What is utterly disturbing is to think of Section 375 in hindsight. The tightly-written first half doesn’t waste screen time and jumps right into the case of Anjali Dangle (Meera Chopra) accusing celebrated filmmaker Rohan Khurana (Rahul Bhat) of rape and assault. The film is largely confined to the trial in the High Court and through the proceedings, the audience is acquainted with various characters with different value systems and morals about sexual abuse. For instance, Rohan’s wife (played by Shriswara) is discussing the poster for a seemingly feminist project when she is informed of her husband’s rape allegations. Through the film she is conflicted and torn between the various narratives and revelations. The first half also establishes the worldviews of the young passionate lawyer Hiral Mehta (Richa Chadda); the older, more pragmatic lawyer Tarun Saluja (Akshaye Khanna); and even the two High Court judges hearing the case (one is “no nonsense” and the other “progressive and liberal”).

Using the classic Roshomon effect, where different characters and the two lawyers dissect the case with various narratives, for the most part, the film creates ambiguity, refrains from being didactic, compels you to think with facts and statistics, and resists the temptation of taking sides. Had the film remained in this space, while hinting at provocative possibilities, it could have been a riveting, and perhaps even a significant film. But the counter argument that the film provides and supports (through Khanna’s character) is not just provocative but also based solely on the account of the accused. Once the film takes a stand and you walk out of the cinema hall, and playback the narratives in your head, assuming Khanna's arguments to be true, it’s nothing short of chilling.

The film not only provides validation to all those dismissing sexual harassment cases as having ulterior motives but also does great disservice to women, who have only recently had the courage to risk social stigma and share their stories with the world. With every clap and hoot generated in the auditorium when Khanna speaks or as the credits roll, one can ascertain the impact of Section 375 and the recklessness and shortsightedness with which Bahl has approached the subject.

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‘Section 375’ movie review: Let’s hear it for the rape accused

Ajay bahl directs akshaye khanna and richa chadha in a legal drama about a director convicted of sexually assaulting his colleague..

In 2016 came a movie that stated the obvious – when a woman said no to a sexual encounter, she actually meant it.

Merely three years after Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury’s Pink , and in the wake of the Me Too movement, arrives a film which suggests that “no” could mean “yes”, “maybe” or, worse still, “gotcha”. Section 375 , about a filmmaker accused of rape, tries to be fair-minded, but the sense of solidarity with the stricken-looking male specimen in the dock is unmistakable.

This majority report, filed on behalf of those who feel that Me Too has gone too far and rape laws are being misused by vengeful women, seeks its legitimacy in the hallowed interiors of the courtroom. A sessions court convicts successful director Rohan (Rahul Bhat) of raping costume designer Anjali (Meera Chopra). Rohan’s wife Kainaz (Sree Swara) hires top-shot lawyer Tarun (Akshaye Khanna) to defend Rohan.

Under the watchful eyes of judges played by Kishore Kadam and Krutika Desai, Tarun attempts to expose the weaknesses in Anjali’s claims. His job is made easier by the barely competent public prosecutor Hiral (Richa Chadha), who relies on emotion rather than solid homework to defend her client.

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Will you watch this akshaye khanna & richa chadha-starrer film.

Hiral takes the moral high ground, while Tarun wallows in the dirt, digging up uncomfortable truths about the relationship between Rohan and his accuser. It gets personal for Tarun when he is publicly attacked by a protester. As Tarun sharpens his game, a movie that has until then flirted with nuance and complexity bares its fangs while inching towards a predictable climax.

Section 375 derives its title from the Indian Penal Code provisions against sexual assault. The 123-minute legal drama appears to be referencing, among other events, the conviction of the actor Shiney Ahuja in 2011 for raping his domestic worker. The director is Ajay Bahl, best-known for the erotic thriller B.A. Pass (2012), in which a married woman teaches her young lover a condensed version of the Kama Sutra and then pushes him into sex work.

The main screenplay of Section 375 (Bahl has contributed too) is by Manish Gupta, who in 2015 directed Rahasya , based on the double murders of Arushi Talwar and Hemraj Banjade in 2008. Rahasya cast a deeply suspicious eye on the parents of its young victim, and went with the tabloid version of events.

A similar tawdriness finds its way into this movie, which affects documentary-style realism in its staging of scenes and buttoned-down performances. The alleged rape that inspires events in Section 375 is replayed several times over, and photographs of the bruises on the victim’s private parts are displayed in unsettling close-ups.

The movie is deeply cynical about the line between law and justice – the law is concrete but justice is abstract, Tarun observes. As Tarun blathers on, it’s clear that for all his erudition, he doesn’t quite get that rape is about power, not sex. Many of the legal arguments, which are delivered in English, hinge on unprovable assertions by Tarun. Hiral’s spirited “Objection, milords!” become a source of unlikely humour.

Akshaye Khanna’s efficient performance is aided by a screenplay that leans heavily towards his point of view. Reduced to flapping about and displaying her lack of preparedness on every occasion, Richa Chadha’s hapless prosecutor is as much a cipher as Meera Chopra’s blank-faced complainant.

Tarun demands the right to be heard – imagine a world in which we do not have the constitutional right to defend ourselves, he says early in Section 375 . This would indeed be a terrible world. In the interests of free expression, then, it is necessary to hear the support for patriarchy laid out by Section 375 – just as it is possible, in a democracy, to decide for yourself whether the movie is an effective legal drama or a bilious defence of deeply entrenched sexism in Bollywood.

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Section 375 (2019)

A filmmaker stands trial when a costume assistant on his movie accuses him of rape

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What is your take on the movie 'Section 375'?

Just saw the movie on prime video. Akshaye khanna is a criminally underrated actor. Richa chaddha, for the most part, was good. But I felt that she was hamming in a few scenes, especially the first few courtroom scenes. The court judges were sometimes caricaturish. Meera chopra and Rahul Bhat were good.

I think it depicted how media trials work in the most realistic way possible. What did you think about the ending? Do you think justice was served?

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Review: In ‘Flipside,’ the untold stories of a wanna-be documentarian coalesce into wisdom

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Midlifers, be forewarned as Chris Wilcha’s “Flipside” amiably rolls along: Before this essayistic, personal documentary about creativity and compromise even hits its stride, you’ll find yourself in a commiserative funk about whatever grand dream of artistic fulfillment you set aside to make a living. (Note to self: There’s still time to write that murder-mystery musical.)

“Flipside” is no downer, however, about roads not taken (or even left unpaved). Using the malleable metaphor of a used record store, where love and nostalgia tame that old smackdown between art and commerce to a friendly draw, and the forgotten sits right alongside the accomplished, Wilcha breezily excavates why life can feel so full of promise while also being frustratingly incomplete. He folds in a message of gratitude that tints this sneakily affecting movie with a forgiving sense of color and light.

The shop that is the movie’s namesake is a cramped altar to vinyl located in New Jersey, a treasured hangout from the music-obsessive Wilcha’s youth. And yet, over the years, his efforts to immortalize it on film (to help it stay alive) kept stalling, until it began to symbolize for him a nagging pattern in the filmmaker’s life: so many personally meaningful documentary ideas started and never finished, while the gigs that paid the bills — directing commercials — filled his schedule.

Exacerbating that guilt for Wilcha, who narrates “Flipside” over a snappy assemblage of archival clips, is his proudly anti-consumerist, irony-fueled stance of Generation X. He established his indie bona fides with his Slamdance-winning 2000 debut feature “The Target Shoots First,” which chronicled his first year at a music-biz job.

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A career in advertising was hardly what he expected, even as the 30-second world put food on the family’s table and occasionally allowed for jobs of note. (Wilcha has two Emmys for the short-lived TV version of the acclaimed radio show “This American Life.”) He owes his move to the West Coast to job opportunities from Judd Apatow , who speaks on camera about his own view of sidelined ambition, being a hungry young stand-up who came to realize that writing for others was his true calling.

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Of all his shelved hard drives, however, Wilcha’s movie about the record store felt like the one that got away. We see him revisit the store and its crusty, defiantly hype-challenged owner, Dan, and learn that it’s become even harder for it to survive since the opening of a newer, shinier, Internet-savvy used-LP shop around the corner. As Wilcha renews his commitment to his abandoned film, he muses whether becoming a marketing-savvy sellout might also be what saves a beloved bastion of his youth.

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'Flipside'

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The eight-episode series centers on the hunt for an assassin who is creeping her way across a galaxy far, far away with the intention of murdering a specific set of Jedi. To make matters worse, this assassin might have ties to the Sith, the dark-side enthusiasts who have supposedly been dead for a millennium.

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The show is packed with the usual Star Wars tropes — lightsaber battles, bar fights, philosophical questions about the Force and even some Force-sensitive twins. But it also shuffles the deck of what we know Star Wars to be. Since “The Acolyte” takes place decades before “The Phantom Menace,” it pulls the Star Wars franchise even further away from being largely a family story about the Skywalkers and their fated role in saving the galaxy. Along with the other newish installments in the Star Wars mythos (“Rogue One,” “Andor,” “The Mandalorian” and much more), “The Acolyte” deepens a saga containing a galaxy’s worth of heroes and villains.

On the other hand, Star Wars has always been in the process of rewriting itself.

Since George Lucas put pen to paper, the timeline has always been a little confusing. The original films, released in the ’70s and ’80s, are episodes four, five and six of a nine-episode saga. The late-'90s/early-2000s prequels were parts one, two and three. Disney acquired the franchise in 2012, and its newer animated shows, spinoff projects , comics, novels and movies have all worked to reshuffle the timeline.

It gets confusing faster than you can say “ midi-chlorians .” So here’s what to expect from “The Acolyte,” and a rundown of its changes to a story that keeps expanding in every direction.

What is ‘The Acolyte’ about?

“Before the Empire. Before the Menace. There was an acolyte.”

That’s the tagline for the new Disney Plus show, which depicts the Jedi at the peak of their powers.

The series focuses on a former Jedi named Osha, who has been framed for killing a slew of Jedi. (It’ll turn out she has something in common with the murderer.) The show centers on the order’s investigation into the deaths.

You can bet it has something to do with the Sith, the evil cohort to which Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine and other Star Wars baddies belong. The assassin serves an unidentified and (in true Star Wars fashion) masked “master” who seems to embrace the dark side and carries a red lightsaber. That’s about all we know.

In general, the show attempts to show what the Jedi were like in their prime and how they tackled threats before the likes of Anakin Skywalker came along.

When does ‘The Acolyte’ take place?

“The Acolyte” happens roughly 100 years before the prequel trilogy begins. This is the “High Republic” era, when the Star Wars galaxy was relatively chill. No Death Stars here!

“We’re looking at a time period where there is peace throughout the galaxy,” showrunner Leslye Headland told Entertainment Weekly in July 2023 . “It was very challenging and interesting to make a Star Wars with no war in it.”

How does ‘The Acolyte’ connect to the Star Wars movies?

We don't really know. Yet.

Headland told Den of Geek that the greater Star Wars lore plays a role in the show. She mentioned that some Sith who have appeared in video games and books influenced the show’s villains.

“I really toyed with utilizing Darth Bane or mentioning Bane. We do not do it in the first season,” she said, referring to a legacy Star Wars character known by fans as the creator of the master-apprentice “rule of two.”

There is one scene in “The Phantom Menace” that inspired some of the show, according to Headland. In that movie, when Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) told the Jedi council about a Sith attack, the wise Master Ki-Adi-Mundi replied, “The Sith have been extinct for a millennium.” Mace Windu agreed, adding, “I do not believe the Sith could have returned without our knowing.”

Headland told Den of Geek that specific moment implied that there was some recent knowledge and history with the Sith, an idea that’s being explored in “The Acolyte.”

Are there any comics or books to read first?

Yes, if you’re trying to be a superfan. When Disney bought the franchise, it wiped away the Star Wars “expanded universe” stories (novels, comic books) from the official canon. But it has since filled in the High Republic era in novels, comics, manga, audiobooks and animated projects. “The Acolyte” is the first time that a live-action show will explore the characters and concepts from that time period. In fact, a Jedi named Vernestra Rwoh (Rebecca Henderson), who first appears in the 2021 High Republic novel “Light of the Jedi,” shows up in “The Acolyte’s” opening four episodes. And Kelnacca, a Wookiee Jedi, is reportedly getting his own Marvel comic this fall.

Some general familiarity with that time frame certainly will offer die-hards some additional context. It’s a mostly peaceful time in the galaxy, save for tensions between the Republic and a group of villainous space pirates called the Nihil and the nightmarish Drengir, an amorphous alien species. You can get all this from the early High Republic novels like “The High Republic,” “The Rising Storm” and “The Fallen Star,” as well as comic book series like “Eye of the Storm” and “The High Republic Adventures.” Audiobooks like “Tempest Runner” and “The Battle of Jedha” provide even more context.

But for the most part, you’re good and won’t need extended knowledge of the High Republic era going into “The Acolyte.”

“I would say this is a fresh entry point,” Headland told The Holo Files , a Star Wars-centric news outlet. “It can definitely elevate the show if you have had the experience of immersing yourself in that beautiful world, but you certainly don’t need to have read anything or know any references to it.”

Okay, so what’s the new Star Wars viewing order?

To paraphrase a certain Force guru: Order matters not. Feel free to watch Episodes IV, V, VI, and then I, II, III, followed by the sequels and whatever Disney Plus marathon binge you want. You do you. (Although that would ruin “machete order.” )

But if you’re going to embrace “The Acolyte” as a full-on Star Wars show and project, then you’d watch this show before “The Phantom Menace.” That means the story of Jar-Jar Binks, Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Padme, Anakin, Watto — all of that — is no longer the kickoff point for Star Wars. Instead, your first step into the larger world begins with high-level Jedi being attacked by a Force-sensitive assassin.

Chronologically, you’d move from this to the prequel trilogy, then some animated shows, followed by “Andor,” “Rogue One” and “Solo,” before you hit the originals. After a brief break in the Mando-verse (“The Mandalorian,” “Ahsoka” and “The Book of Boba Fett”), it’s time for the sequel trilogy. However you felt about it.