Criminal Justice: A Family Matter lacks the spark of its previous seasons. While Surveen Chawla delivers a powerful performance, even Pankaj Tripathi’s charm can’t save this slow-paced courtroom drama.
Surveen Chawla Stands Out as Pankaj Tripathi’s Show Goes Flat
There’s a certain comfort in watching familiar characters step into a brand-new story arc — a satisfying blend of continuity and novelty. Criminal Justice: A Family Matter, now in its fourth season, taps into that comfort by reuniting audiences with beloved characters while introducing a fresh criminal case rooted in family turmoil.
At the center of it all is Madhav Mishra, played with unwavering charm by Pankaj Tripathi. His return as the unassuming but razor-sharp lawyer is supported by a cast of familiar faces: his lively wife Ratna (Khushboo Atre), her earnest brother Deep (Aatm Prakash Mishra), and the ever-composed Shivani Mathur (Barkha Singh). The show wastes no time in throwing them into the deep end of a disturbing family crisis laced with murder and hidden motives.
Only three out of the eight episodes have been released so far, but the setup is already intense. The season opens with a chilling scene: in a luxurious Mumbai high-rise, a domestic help arrives to find a woman covered in blood, being held by a man in utter shock. Another woman stands nearby, visibly shaken, already on the phone with the police. It’s a gripping start that promises layers of intrigue and emotional complexity.
A Murder, a Broken Family, and Dark Secrets
The story unfolds within the upscale confines of a Mumbai high-rise, where a brutal crime lays bare the dysfunction of a fractured family. At the heart of this season’s mystery is Dr. Raj Nagpal, portrayed by the ever-reliable Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub. A respected physician by profession, Raj’s personal life is a tangle of secrets, betrayals, and emotional wounds.
The victim is Roshni Saluja (Asha Negi), not just a trained nurse but also the live-in caregiver to Raj’s daughter, Ira — a teenager with Asperger’s Syndrome. Roshni is revealed to be more than just an employee; she was Raj’s lover, adding a layer of scandal to the already disturbing crime.
Witnessing the aftermath is Anju (Surveen Chawla), Raj’s estranged wife, who lives just across the landing. It is she who alerts the authorities, casting herself into the eye of the storm. Their daughter, Ira (Khushi Bhardwaj), and Raj’s stern mother Gurmeet (Sohaila Kapur), are also present — each carrying emotional baggage and, perhaps, their own secrets.
The dynamics among these characters suggest a far more complicated case than a simple crime of passion. As Madhav Mishra starts unraveling the facts, the show hints that every member of this dysfunctional household might have something to hide.
