Illegal Review: Decent But Imprecise Depiction of Modern Law

After intriguing content like Asur and Marzi, Voot Select is back with another legal drama, Illegal. Starring Piyush Mishra, Neha Sharma, Akshay Oberoi, Satyadeep Mishra and Kubbra Sait the web show portrays modern law in the country from the viewpoint of  an esteemed law firm owned by highly experienced lawyer Janardhan Jaitley (Piyush Mishra) better known as JJ.  A brilliant lawyer who earns the title of ‘Mad Lawyer' owing to her fearless and honest personality,  Niharika Singh (Neha Sharma) is hired by JJ’s law firm in New Delhi. Illegal is much more than a mere courtroom drama where a lawyer is adamant on being the flag-bearer of honesty and justice.

Illegal is a group of lawyers who are being enslaved by their own desires and past experiences. JJ plays a manipulative boss who knows a case is handled inside as well as outside the court. He can certainly be termed as the ‘Khiladi’ of his profession. Niharika and Akshay (Akshay Oberoi), JJ’s son are enslaved by their past love life and individual traumatic experiences. The intriguing drama talks about what goes on behind the closed doors of a reputed law firm.

In the first episode, Niharika can be seen publicly exposing a sexual predator. This not only does it threaten her career, but also creates a moral conundrum later on, when she’s asked to represent a rape-accused, Neeraj Shekhawat. Illegal also portrays Niharika’s other case about Meher Salaam (Kubra Sait), the death row prisoner in the pro bono case, is routinely brutalised in prison, and a history of abuse runs through Niharika’s past.

Unlike the 2019 film Section 375, Illegal isn’t exploitative in its depiction of complicated rape trials. It points out, though in all-too-obvious tones, the systemic mistrust doled out to victims in the guise of due process.

Neha Sharma as a righteous lawyer can be seen portraying the character pretty well. When Niharika is sitting in a job interview with JJ, it seems that Neha may prove to be an inadequate choice for the lead role but as the story unfolds, her efficiency as a lawyer is clearly visible. Though her first scene of exposing a senior client as a rapist sets a high benchmark for her character and Neha fails to justify her title of ‘Mad Lawyer’.

Piyush Mishra, the principal antagonist of the show once again proves that he is a fabulous actor. One cannot imagine anyone else playing the character of an intelligent and smart lawyer who certainly knows how to make the optimum use of his experience. Akshay Oberoi as Akshay (JJ’s son) plays a dutiful son and a corporate lawyer who has no control over his own emotions. 

Illegal dwells into the dark zones of our judicial system. With a strong cast but a weak plot filled with loopholes, the legal drama intends to show the grey zones of modern law but fails at some levels. Depiction of dilemmas a lawyer faces could have been presented better.

Final Verdict: Overall, Illegal is a decent representation of modern law and how lawyers are human before therefore enslaved by human emotions of love, hatred, jealousy and want of power. I would recommend it to people who would like to know the inner secrets of a law firm.