Reeling in the real

A movie on Aarushi Talwar, another on Jessica Lall's murder, and now, a striking similarity between the protagonist of a new TV soap and Ruchika Girhotra — real-life cases are taking to the screen like never before.

A movie on Aarushi Talwar, another on Jessica Lall's murder, and now, a striking similarity between the protagonist of a new TV soap and Ruchika Girhotra — real-life cases are taking to the screen like never before.

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Kaali - Ek Agnipariksha, a Star Plus show that went on air recently, reminds viewers of the tragic case of 14-year-old Ruchika Girhotra, who committed suicide after she was molested by a senior police officer, and her family harassed.

“The show is about fighting for justice; we wanted to depict the reality around us. But it deals with much more than any particular case. It is a fictional show based on elements shared by a number of real-life cases,” says the show's writer Mrinal Jha.

Filmmakers and show producers say the screen scope of such sensitive subjects in extensive. “Movies and shows made on real cases always generate interest,” says filmmaker Kamaal Rashid Khan, whose film Aarushi Ki Love Story is expected next year. Director of the much-awaited movie, No One Killed Jessica, Rajkumar Gupta, feels, “One needs to be true to facts and handle the subject with care.”

In some cases, family members, too, are forthcoming. “Jessica's case touched everyone, so I don’t mind a movie on it,” says Jessica Lall's sister Sabrina.