 "A still from Netflix's 'Accused' film")
Language: Hindi
Director: Anubhuti Kashyap
Cast: Konkona Sen Sharma, Pratibha Ranta, Sukant Goel, Monica Mahendru and more
Konkona Sen Sharma did justice to an extremely complex, conflicted woman doctor’s role in Accused, and this isn’t the first time she has been able to bring out the grey shade of the character with so much ease. When you see Konkona on screen, you know for sure that it is going to be something different and experimental, and that, I believe, is the true essence of a craftsman. She knows exactly what works for her, and she has matured as an actor with age
Konkona, throughout her entire career, has consciously chosen movies that challenge her as an actor, and if we carefully look at her filmography, we realize how each film is different from her previous one. What makes this film unusual is that the accused is a woman. Produced by Dharma Productions, Accused follows a celebrated doctor in London, Dr. Geetika Sen’s (Konkona Sen Sharma), journey. The character played by Konkona as Dr. Geetika is shown to have issues with her subordinates, who are lousy workers, and has been called rude, strict, and stern, but never a sexual predator. But why was she framed as a sexual predator is the big question.
Often, we have seen people, not just men but women too, finding it difficult to take orders from female bosses, especially when they notice that she is ‘damn good’ at her job. Netflix’s ‘Accused’ film shows how Dr. Geetika’s carefully constructed life and a reputation that she has built as a senior gynecologist and the HOD of a hospital in London with years of dedication, discipline, and hard work start falling apart after she is accused of sexual misconduct.
As scrutiny intensifies and public opinion hardens, the film explores how this case of framing her as a sexual predator strains her relationship with her partner, Dr. Meera (Pratibha Ranta), who is also a pediatrician. The difference that the film brings here is that the so-called ‘accused’ here is a woman. Accused isn’t an ordinary film; it makes you question and sit with discomfort and doubt, unfolding as a story of one woman’s word against another’s.
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View AllThis Netflix film shows the different layers of Dr. Geetika’s character, and a craftswoman like Konkona Sen Sharma is able to bring it out perfectly. The brilliance of Konkona’s nuanced performance as Dr. Geetika is not surprising for a cinema-loving audience like me.
Dr. Geetika, played by Konkona Sen, is shown to be a ’no-nonsense person’ who will not pat her subordinates on the back or even tell them that they can do better next time for doing a shoddy job. No doubt, like all humans, she has her flaws, but she can’t take a chance, especially when you are a doctor and you are dealing with human life.
The hospital HR supports knowing that she is damn good at her job and her department brings in the maximum revenue. In this film we see a woman intern trying to frame her in a wrong way just because she shouted at her publicly for puncturing the nerves of the patient with a needle. She terminated her service, and in return the young intern turned around the case by saying that Dr. Geetika tried to sexually abuse her, which was not the case.
Directed by Anubhuti Kashyap, Netflix’s Accused is going to make one feel extremely uncomfortable. It is indeed complex and not an easy watch, and every woman will be able to relate to some part of the characteristics, either with the one played by Konkona Sen or Pratibha Ranta.
In one of the scenes we can see Dr. Geetika (Konkona Sen Sharma) saying that when a man becomes HOD, he is considered to be deserving, but when it comes to a woman, then the people around her, including other women, think that probably she has taken some shortcuts. There are men who sometimes think they are in full control, and there are some women too who like to help these men out, especially when they want to take out their personal grudges against a woman who is in a powerful position. The movie does justice to queer love and highlights the complexities.
Not denying that Dr. Geetika (Konkona Sen) is undoubtedly arrogant and in a relationship too; she is seen to be dominating. As a woman in power, she too thought she would be different, but in some way, in the aim to give her best, she, to some extent, started abusing power.
Accused film refuses to simplify human behavior or moral conflict. It is an absolutely nuanced film, and the center of the accusation is a woman boss. The film is hugely engaging and immersive, and the narrative never thins out, and that is the beauty of good cinema. The lesson that we learn from this movie is that reputations are hard-earned, so keep them safe!
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
WATCH Netflix’s Accused here:
Lachmi Deb Roy is the Entertainment Editor of Firstpost, Network18. She reviews films and series with a gender lens. She is a 'Rotten Tomatoes' certified critic. Her interviews are called 'Not Just Bollywood' because she takes a huge interest in world cinema. She has been the winner of the prestigious Laadli Media and Advertising Award for Gender Sensitivity for two consecutive years, 2020 and 2021. OTT over theatrical releases is her preference unless and until it's a King Khan film. She takes interest in fashion, food and art reviews too.