The Trial

"The Trail" is a web series that draws inspiration from the Good wife but has nuances of popular legal dramas like "Boston Legal" and "Suits." While it leans more towards being a drama than a strictly legal series, the performances of Kajol and Aly Khan shine brightly. The storyline revolves around a cheating scandal involving a lawyer, blending elements of family drama into the narrative.

On a rating scale, I would give it a 6. The plot centers around the acceptance of cheating in a semi-modern society like India, juxtaposed with deep-rooted traditions-an intriguing irony. Some episodes offer engaging storylines, but it's hard to ignore the strong resemblance to "Suits" and "Boston Legal." Unfortunately, the acting of the junior lawyer is subpar and can be quite annoying.

One notable oddity is how the kids hide the crucial piece of evidence, adding a layer of suspense. While the direction is commendable, the script could have been better structured, and the series could have explored more innovative approaches. Despite its flaws, "The Legal Code" manages to deliver moments of intrigue and keeps viewers entertained throughout. Average one time watch !

The titular Trial is practically non existent and while one would assume this is a legal thriller, one would be sorely mistaken. The struggle that they desperately try to showcase is non existent, almost as if Kajol had given clear instructions that her time on the show should be as comfortable as possible and her struggle resembles that of a Bollywood star kid.

The trial is also poorly captured, depicted and executed and almost seems to be the background artist of the show unlike what the title seems to convey unless maybe there is a personal and social trial also happening but maybe that episode seems missing.

Poor casting, terrible acting and misguided direction seem to be the only consistent parts of the show. It's almost like Ajay Devgn was planning a holiday for his better half with some mild work thrown in, and here she has done enough to challenge the better part of the better half title.

Characters are all over the place. Even stalwarts have been reduced to one dimensional, almost caricaturish representations of what they could have been.

I was excited to watch Kajol as a lawyer first time in her career. But all expectations faded away after watching the series because it was centered around the family drama instead of the court room drama and whatever they have shown failed to entertain me.

Kajol as lawyer was missing most of the time, I would have love to watch her debating in the court in spite of having personal problems. The start look promising and setting stage for that court room drama but as it progressed further into more episodes that excitement ended. Characters are good and performed well but Disney-hotstar need to inspire from Criminal Justice for this series.

The Trial (2023): Series Review -

Kajol makes a webseries debut in Suparn Verma's eight-episode series, "The Trial". Based on CBS' TV series "The Good Wife," The Trial is a testament to theoretical changes according to our society's trends. Suparn Verma has created a show for our audience, but the adultery features are still not appropriate for families. But otherwise, it's an honest adaptation of The Good Wife. If you are thinking The Trial is about bringing about good and necessary changes in family traditions, society, and the legal system, then let me tell you that you are absolutely wrong. An absolute wrong perception brings an absolute disappointment. So you better prepare yourself for something that's about betrayal and evil, be it any element of the series-drama, law and justice, profession, love, or promises.

Rajeev Sengupta's (Jisshu Sengupta) sex clip with a female escot goes viral, and so he is suspended from his law position. His wife, Noyonika (Kajol), is devastated but has to take care of the kids and the family, which leads him to step out of the house for a job. Her ex-boyfriend, Vishal (Alyy Khan), gives her a chance at his law firm as an intern on probation for 6 months. Noyonika's one and only competition is another intern, Dheeraj (Gaurav Pandey), who is the favourite of one of the bosses, Malini (Sheeba Chaddha). Noyonika's kids are feeling ashamed to go to school and public places since their dad's image is totally filthy. The case is pretty similar to Noyonika's, but she believes in fighting rather than running away. With new cases in hand, office pressure, her husband's case, and conspiracies, Noyonika tries to find, or better say, establish, her existence as a woman who can do anything.

The Trial is indeed about a lot of things, but sadly, it doesn't put in enough effort to complete at least one of them. It is about fighting for law and justice, but we see lawyers who are more interested in their clients' goodwill and business. It's about a woman who is betrayed by her husband, but we see her repeating the same mistake with a sort of extramarital affair. The Trial is also about the Media Trial and how it can destroy someone's life, but we see it getting scrapped by someone's medical condition rather than arguments in court. The Trial also tries its hands at love triangle, and believe me, it's a big flop there. Justice and Love needed purification here, but sadly, that didn't happen. Some of the cases actually start off on an interesting note but end up being mediocre. Somebody's medical insurance fraud deserves to be explained so that people will understand the loopholes and tricks, but the Trial has you finishing it off with political references. Nevertheless, The Trial attempts all the trending things in today's world, and I am glad that somebody took on this challenge. One of the major influences on these is social media, news headlines, and reality shows. But somewhere, it needed a little filtering for the children and family audiences since some of the characters represent them on screen.

The Trial gets all the actors to perform at their best. Kajol literally shines like a strong lead in this series, and I am happy to see her working so well in a longer format. Usually, a two-hour runtime may not be enough for her calibre, but webseries have that liberty. Except for a few prosthetic exposure shots, she looks absolutely stunning. Every episode ends with her poetic dialogue, and that, I believe, is what stays with you. Jisshu Sengupta has been underlined in this series, but he makes a good comeback in the concluding parts. Kubbra Sait has a good role with bad features, but she does fine. A couple of kissing scenes are becoming mandatory for webseries nowadays; therefore, Kubrra has them naturally. But what's surprising is that even Kajol couldn't stay far this time. Sheeba Chaddha is a total killer as the head of a law firm. She makes things so natural and easy for the co-actors and her director. The male cast of The Trial has also done exceptionally well, including Alyy Khan, Gaurav Pandey, Kiran Kumar, Swayam Joshi, and others. Haelyn Shastri, Sheena Chouhan, Nancy Gill, Nirbhay Jain, Manasvi Mamgai, Flora Saini, Suchitra Pillai, and the rest of the supporting cast are very nice.

Coming to the technical aspects, The Trial seemed decent. The cinematography and the background score could have been better since it was a sort of thriller with courtroom drama. The production design is fine, though. You know, we have been habitual of seeing long and wide courtrooms, when in reality, it's completely different. The Trial shows you how it is-from outside as well as inside. Suparn Verma's courtroom drama raises a lot of questions that have been raised before. What the law and justice's failure tries to suggest here is comparatively nothing in comparison to what we have seen in "Section 375" (2019). The feminism angle of a working woman is far too dated now. If you ask me what's new, I'd say the ending. That betrayal and that longing actually sounded better than the whole show. The Trial gains something and misses something, but overall, it's a standard legal family drama that makes for a decent watch.

RATING - 5/10*

Kajol steals the show at ease,with her hiatious career experience she does it flawlessly... The dialogues are the backbone of the series which is a see through or has to pass out in every common man's life lessons One of the standout aspects of "The Trial" is its strong and well-developed characters. Each character is intricately crafted, with their own unique motivations and conflicts. The performances of the cast are commendable, bringing these characters to life with depth and conviction.

The storyline of "The Trial" is both engaging and thought-provoking. It delves into the complex nature of the legal system, highlighting the challenges and biases that exist within it. The series raises important questions about truth, justice, and the power dynamics at play in the courtroom.

The cinematography and production design of "The Trial" are top-notch. The series creates a visually stunning world that enhances the overall viewing experience. The attention to detail in recreating the courtroom setting and the use of lighting and camera angles effectively capture the intensity and drama of the trial proceedings.

The pacing of the series is well-balanced, keeping the audience hooked from start to finish. The narrative unfolds in a way that keeps viewers guessing and constantly questioning the outcome of the trial. The suspense and tension are expertly maintained throughout each episode.

In conclusion, "The Trial" is a must-watch Hindi web series that combines compelling storytelling, strong performances, and relevant social commentary. It is a thought-provoking and gripping series that will leave viewers wanting more. Whether you are a fan of crime dramas or interested in exploring the flaws of the legal system, "The Trial" will not disappoint.