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Guilty movie review: Karan Johar and Netflix atone for past sins, Kiara Advani is a revelation

Guilty movie review: finally allowed to speak, kiara advani delivers a revelatory performance. netflix india and karan johar atone for past sins and slay bollywood hypocrisy..

A MeToo joke is made five minutes into Guilty, the new Indian original on Netflix; a woman is slut-shamed within 10. Director Ruchi Narain’s film, during its opening act, positively challenges you to stick around. It feels like an assault on woke culture, and in several scenes, pretends like it’s an insensitive cousin to the terribly tone-deaf and shamelessly smug Section 375.

But if you do stick around – and you should – you’ll be treated to the culmination of a two-year experiment. Guilty is the sort of movie Netflix has been trying to perfect ever since it waded into Bollywood; a seamless blend of Western values and desi drama. Like Kapoor & Sons, it comes across as a retroactive attempt by producer Karan Johar to atone for some of his past sins – the most recent of which Netflix was, ahem, guilty of being complicit in.

Johar’s the only one, for instance, who seems to have noticed Kiara Advani ’s talents as an actor. After being largely restricted to playing pushovers, Kiara delivers an absolutely electric performance as the unreliable Nanki, a fiery college student with a fondness for Faiz.

Nanki writes lyrics for a band in which her boyfriend is the lead singer. Together, Nanki and VJ inspire jealousy and admiration among the largely virginal clump of kids that swarms around them like bees. Among one of VJ’s many devotees is a small-town girl named Tanu, played in an Achilles heel of a performance by newcomer Akansha Ranjan Kapoor. After a Valentine’s Day party in which several students witness her coming onto VJ, Tanu accuses him of raping her.

The accusation sends shockwaves inside the college, and exposes systemic injustices and corruption. Fearing a media trial, the authorities try to silence Tanu; her peers wonder if her allegations are even credible. Judgment is passed on her scandalous sense of style; her pursuit of VJ is perceived as an indication of ulterior motives.

Among the film’s many problems – the most aggravating of which is the film’s insistence on beating you over the head with the vast class-divide between VJ and Tanu – is Kapoor’s performance as the young woman. In a film filled with impressively restrained acting, her generic small-town accent and tendency to break into hysterics does a disservice to Narain and her writing partner Kanika Dhillon’s surprisingly empathetic screenplay. For those keeping score at home, this is the second Netflix India original this year in which the same Shakespeare speech is butchered.

But brief dips in the quality of acting aside, Guilty feels genuinely authentic in its depiction of life inside Delhi University, an academic institution that I am a proud product of. When news of Tanu’s accusation first breaks out, one character barges in and announces, in pitch perfect Delhi lingo, “Apne bhai ke saath scene hogaya bro.”

Narain gives the film a Rashomon effect and a Riverdale tone. She plays with perspective and perceptions. A virtuous lawyer conducts interviews with everyone who was present during the Valentine’s Day party at which the incident is alleged to have taken place. His investigation brings to light multiple narratives and contrasting points-of-view, encouraging the viewer to draw their own conclusions and come up with their own theories as to whom to believe.

Also read: Unbelievable review: New Netflix miniseries is gut-wrenchingly good, but difficult to watch

Narain secludes the lawyer, played by the very assured Taher Shabbir, inside cool and clinical office environments that mirror his personality. Kunal Vijaykar, meanwhile, in one scene is plonked firmly inside his own comfort zone, with a fork and knife in his hands and a plate of food on the table in front of him. But Kiara is the true revelation here. She plays Nanki, a character with her own traumas hidden underneath tattoo ink and torn T-shirts, like a person we’ve all crossed paths with on several occasions in our lives. She’s intimidating yet inviting, alluring yet alienating.

And Guilty is consistently watchable, right up to the gloriously designed end credits sequence and the frankly jaw-dropping title card that it ends with. It might not be as impeccably written as Pink, but it certainly aspires to be as progressive.

Follow @htshowbiz for more The author tweets @RohanNaahar

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Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive . Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.

Vishwanath S A 1221 days ago

not good. lot of mistruth shown here. misused lot on recent troll. just want to impress in small screen they made this attempt. defntly not worth to watch.

SUDHANSHU KR TALAN 1547 days ago

Set in the elite St Martin’s College, the story is told through the shenanigans of a college band named Doobydo, whose lead vocalist is college heartthrob Vijay Pratap Singh, popularly known as VJ (Gurfateh Singh Pirzada). His girlfriend Nanki Dutta (Kiara Advani), who is also the lyricist of the band, and other band members — Hardy (Adhish Khanna), KP (Chayan Chopra) and Tashi (Tenxin Dralha) — are snooty but famous nonetheless.death Dawson dwarfing searching vehicles textbook sexton e reaction cesspit deewani czech 3d 32xF89n Cecil's catchup debugging Fewston cenotaph Heslerton daffodils graph sattvik EE whisk daybook Caunton satin sexton decontamination desi Talbot decontamination sexton geography

Rahul Maurya 1562 days ago

Umesh kumar 1565 days ago, jack reacher 1566 days ago.

I like acting from the first scene and best one is full movie is online release just love it.

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Ruchi Narain

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• Mental Health

#1 in India today, Guilty on Netflix is a take on the #MeToo movement. In Dharma style by Karan Johar and Ruchi Narain, written by Kanika Dhillon and Atika Chohan.

The Netflix original is led by Kiara Advani, who plays the protagonist Nanki, a college student whose boyfriend, Vijay Pratap Singh, is accused of rape by another student, Tanu Arora who is shown as a small-town attention-seeking girl, ‘bold’, ambitious,  who openly expresses her desires – sexual or otherwise. Though the main focus is on sexual desire and none other. In this process of accusation and the search of truth, Nanki experiences intense anxiety attacks and is under medication. Which eventually makes her testimony unreliable.

The film begins with the perspective of the lawyers fighting the case for Vijay (VJ) and his powerful parents, as he interviews his friends and band members present on the day of the incident. Through this, we are taken into flashbacks of the day the crime is said to have happened.

There is an accurate representation of Delhi, DU student lingo and the vibe and the tone of the movie is set in accordance with student life, unlike the typical High-class candy colleges in Karan Johar’s movies.

As the story progresses the writers manipulate stereotypes and make-believe its audiences the outcome of the story. Which as the climax is reached is unravelled as a different scene altogether. In addition, there Is an undertone of judgments that people form about others and how they can be wrong.

The film presents a good premise overall, but for a film that is entirely dependent on the he-said-she-said narrative, there isn’t much focus on Tanu’s point of view as a victim. There are a lot of factors that keep the audiences engaged in the narrative of the movie which is two hours long – use of soundtracks which do not overpower the narrative, the storytelling, the individual struggles of each character and the power dynamics involved in hiding the truth behind the heinous crime.

On the other hand, The final monologue of Kiara Advani in some way or the other kills the importance of the issue that has been dominantly covered in the film. The Rape Culture and the suffering and humiliation faced by Victims. But also raises the issue of patriarchy in Indian society and how “Men will be men” mentality has seeped in the very cores of people.

Nonetheless, Guilty is a must-watch film, as it is different from conventional Bollywood drama and denotes the misuse of power and authority.

• Dharmatic Entertainment

Amazing and good use of words

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When a college heartthrob is accused of rape by a less popular student, his girlfriend navigates various versions of the story in search of the truth. When a college heartthrob is accused of rape by a less popular student, his girlfriend navigates various versions of the story in search of the truth. When a college heartthrob is accused of rape by a less popular student, his girlfriend navigates various versions of the story in search of the truth.

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Top cast 33

• Nanki Dutta

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• Sushma VJ's Mother

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• Trivia Although the film is a Hindi film, most of the dialogues of the film were spoken in English.

Nanki Dutta : Who do you think you are, Tanu Kumar ? What did you think ? Just because you got a thousand likes on a tweet you put out, you think you can say anything ? And we will accept it ? You're guilty, because... .you liked him. You were flirting with him. And you wanted to have sex with him. So it's obvious that you're guilty ? You say whatever you like, to whomever you like. You're so confident. Always want to be the centre of attention. Your problem is you want too many things and you go after all of it. Funny, actually...... because VJ too has the same qualities. But that's what i like about him. And so do you. But with him, it's different Tanu. You see, because he's a man. You understand, your problem is, you don't know how to conduct yourself. You have to be more responsible to stay out of trouble.

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‘Guilty’ review: A worthy watch despite its shortcomings

Ruchi narain’s netflix original film is headlined by kiara advani..

This ‘tribe’ is too cool for school, more focussed on music band practice and throwing shade to the new student at St Martin’s College. Nanki (Kiara Advani), the lyricist, is a rebel without a cause. She’s dating the lead singer and college heartthrob VJ Pratap (Gurfateh Singh Pirzada). Hardy, KP and Tashi make up the rest of the band.

Inseparable, fiercely loyal and high on attitude, the group’s cool quotient gets shattered when Tanu (Akansha Ranjan Kapoor), the crass and flirtatious new student who threw herself at VJ on Valentine’s Day, accuses him of rape.

Ruchi Narain’s Hindi-English language film, co-written with Kanika Dhillon, opens with each band member being interrogated about the fateful night. It takes a while to realise that Danish (Taher Shabbir) is not a police investigator but the solicitor hired by VJ’s family. However, the entire case seems to hinge on Nanki’s narrative. Did VJ do it? And Danish, rather creepily, is solely focussed on Nanki, so much so that the case begins to affect her dramatically.

Guilty is a reaction to the rise and stalling of the MeToo movement. It addresses issues of exploitation, power, gender dynamics, sexism, the class divide, prejudice, judgment and, of course, guilt. The writers (dialogue by Atika Chouhan) fastidiously check social media and hashtag vocabulary surrounding MeToo. As the law firm partner walks his client out of the door, he says, “I am on the verge of firing all my female interns.”

That’s the kind of casual reaction that followed when case after case tumbled out of the closet. The students are also divided in their opinion, swayed by the media and their peer group.

The 119-minute drama works as a commentary, but a combination of an arrhythmic ensemble cast, underdeveloped story arcs and characters (such as Nanki’s own experiences), and spotty editing, scuppers the whodunit factor. A dark colour palette and night shots are overused to establish the mood, and the trauma of sexual abuse and patriarchal patterns is only slightly addressed.

The emotional thrust comes from Kiara Advani as the troubled teen, who is constrained by conditioning, distorted morality and contrition. She lifts the film when the verbose climax begins to acquiesce to the pull of evangelism. Instead of starting a conversation, Guilty ends up talking at us. Fortunately what is being said is worth listening to.

Kiara Advani on staying grounded: ‘I want to make sure I am still the person I was before all this’

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Guilty Movie Review: Kiara Advani As Nanki Is Here To Make You Introspect Your Thoughts

Nanki grips you from the word go and keeps you confused throughout. a big plus here is that you think you know what's coming but everything is so worth the wait and shocking enough..

Director : Ruchi Narain

Producer : Karan Johar, Aneesha Baig

Streaming On : Netflix

Guilty Movie Review : What’s It About? And How’s The Screenplay?

The story of Guilty revolves around Tanu Kumar (Akansha Ranjan Kapoor) who accuses college heartthrob VJ aka Vijay Pratap Singh (Gurfateh Singh Pirzada) of r*pe. As she “MeTooes” everyone’s favourite guy of the college, it creates great tension and divide among the students. Some of them support the girl and others support the boy. However, the reason behind the boy getting so much favour from his fellows, friends, and girlfriend Nanki (Kiara Advani) is not just his “decent boy” image but also a certain image of the girl who has accused him.

The girl as they refer him has “trouble” written all over it and also desperately wants VJ as her boyfriend. On the night of “alleged r*pe”, everyone saw her “manipulating” VJ and taking her in the room for obvious reasons. And that’s why it’s pretty easy to judge who is the “Guilty” here.

But what unfolds as Nanki digs deep amidst all the legal investigation going on makes the story.

Kanika Dhillon & Ruchi Narain’s screenplay has so much that goes in its favour. It’s edgy, bold, engaging and hits you at the right place.

The movie grips you from the word go and keeps you confused throughout. A big plus here is that you think you know what’s coming but everything is so worth the wait and shocking enough. The screenplay builds tension to a level that at one point you just want to see the conclusion and I loved that.

The climax is hard-hitting and will stay with you for a long time. It will make you introspect and also think about how much society is responsible for creating monsters. And the last message that the makers have tried to give is the perfect way to make you start the conversation.

The dialogues and couple of monologues are impactful. Also, I’d like to congratulate the writers for wrapping up so much in screentime of less than 2 hours. When you have a lot to say and you do that in such a less time is commendable. Also, the way some dots have been joined in the end is too good. I don’t really want to give spoilers here but kudos to writers!

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Guilty Movie Review : How Are The Performances & Direction?

Kiara Advani gives a good performance as she plays a well-written and layered character. Her character of Nanki demands her to express a range of emotions and she does a nice job.

Akansha Ranjan Kapoor makes an impressive debut. She’s pretty good as Tanu Kumar and holds a big promise as the emerging star.

Gurfateh Singh Pirzada and Taher Shabbir have also done a fine job. Others lend able support.

Ruchi Narain has done a good job as a director in making this uncomfortable and an unsettling film worth watching. When you make films like this, there comes great responsibility and there are huge chances of going off the mark. However, Ruchi has well directed the film and has made sure the film touches the right notes without going here and there.

Guilty Movie Review : Final Verdict

Overall, Guilty is a must-watch because it makes you think and introspect your thoughts.

Rating : 3.5/5

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• Parents Say 1 Review
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Common Sense Media Review

Intense Indian #MeToo tale is uneven: language, sex, drugs.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Guilty , a drama from India (in Hindi with English subtitles, or dubbed), is set in a prestigious, fictional university in New Delhi. A sexually provocative female student accuses an attractive, popular classmate of rape after a night of drunken and drugged behavior at a campus party…

Why Age 16+?

Nonstop profanity, including "f--k," "s--t," "a--hole."

Some fighting, a slap, pushing, anger. Some suspenseful scenes. A young man is a

The entire movie is about accusations of sexual assault and rape. Sexually provo

Alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, and some unidentified drugs are used by college stu

Any Positive Content?

Shows how difficult it is to determine victim/predator roles ("he said, she said

The film's complex characters and multiple viewpoints obscure clear role modelin

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Violence & Scariness

Some fighting, a slap, pushing, anger. Some suspenseful scenes. A young man is abducted, a black cover placed over his head; he's released shortly afterward. Spoiler alert: a brutal, lengthy sexual attack is shown entirely from the victim's point of view; its reliability may be questioned.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

The entire movie is about accusations of sexual assault and rape. Sexually provocative behavior is shown in numerous scenes. Some necking and foreplay between two consenting adults; they wake up together. A man masturbates in an underground crossway.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, and some unidentified drugs are used by college students in several party scenes. Drunkenness and drugged behavior result. Main character takes anti-anxiety medicine. Smoking.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Positive messages.

Shows how difficult it is to determine victim/predator roles ("he said, she said"). Explores the many reasons truth can be shaded or ignored. Loyalty sometimes results in unethical behavior. Promotes the importance of honest communication and confronting disturbing experiences.

Positive Role Models

The film's complex characters and multiple viewpoints obscure clear role modeling. Main character runs the spectrum of both good and bad behavior; she struggles, but ultimately does the right thing.

Parents need to know that Guilty , a drama from India (in Hindi with English subtitles, or dubbed), is set in a prestigious, fictional university in New Delhi. A sexually provocative female student accuses an attractive, popular classmate of rape after a night of drunken and drugged behavior at a campus party. What follows is a blending of witness accounts, legal maneuvers, and family and school interventions that cloud both the truth and the relationships between the principal characters. At the heart of the story is the accused rapist's girlfriend, who believes in his innocence. Viewers can expect scenes of highly-charged suspense and friction, including a slap, fighting, and the abduction of a young man (who's held only briefly). Spoiler alert: a brutal sexual attack is shown; its reliability may be questioned. A loving couple kisses, engages in mild foreplay, and is shown waking up in bed together. A man masturbates in an underground crossway. Language is coarse throughout, including countless uses of "f--k," "s--t," and other curses. Partying students use alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, and other drugs to get drunk and high. Casual marijuana use is shown in other scenes. The film, which addresses issues of sexual abuse, classism, and gender inequity, along with its inclusion of drug use and profanity, isn't suitable for most kids. For older teens, however, it may be an opportunity for insightful reflection and relevant discussion. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

• Parents say (1)

Based on 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Nanki (Kiara Advani) is a stellar college student when GUILTY begins. An iconoclastic young woman, Nanki is a brilliant, beautiful songwriter in her senior year at St. Martin's, a university in New Delhi. After a drug and alcohol-fueled campus party, Nanki's boyfriend, Vijay (Gurfatch Pirzada), is accused of rape by Tanu (Akansh Ranji Kapoor), a young woman at St. Martin's on scholarship. It's clear to everyone that Tanu had a passionate crush on Vijay and seemed intent upon seducing him. When she identifies Vijay as a rapist, confidence in her story is low. The adored son of a rich, famous politician, and leader of the band that Nanki writes music for, Vijay denies the allegations with vehemence. Nanki is Vijay's most ardent supporter. Interviews conducted by Danish (Taher Shabbir), the lawyer hired to lead Vijay's defense, Nanki's commitment, and the accused's family's fervent advocacy, unfortunately, cannot stop the rising support Tanu begins to pull together on her behalf. In the ensuing conflict, stories are changed, complex issues emerge, secrets are uncovered, and the stakes build to an inescapable and an unsettling conclusion.

Is It Any Good?

A heartfelt effort to illuminate the complex subject matter, along with vibrant performances and an artful selection of music, somewhat make up for some distracting contrivances and missteps. The characters, particularly heroine, victim, and predator (not revealed conclusively until the last moments), are shaded and impenetrable for most of the movie. That's one of the better things about Guilty . However, there are so many witnesses, band members, detractors, supporters, and concerned adults, the multitudes eventually overload the already-tangled plotting. Finally, the contrived ending is problematic. There's so much to be exposed and so much emotion to release that the selected site for the climactic moments feels both impersonal and overwrought at the same time.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the positive impact of watching movies from other countries. What do audiences learn about the commonality of humanity by seeing different lives and cultures? How did Guilty give life to the universality of college rape, classism, and gender inequity? In what ways were the students portrayed in the movie like those in your world? How were they different?

This film addresses the #MeToo movement, prominent in today's culture. Director Ruchi Narain takes her viewers on a journey that is ambiguous until the final scenes. Whom did you find yourself believing over the course of Guilty ? Why? In the final analysis, what is Narain's point of view about the issue? How does her approach to the material show why it's difficult to find the truth?

"Rashomon" is a term often used to characterize a movie or story that shows the same event from different points of view. Find out the origin of the term. Can you think of some other movies that use Rashomon as a base for storytelling? (If you've never seen the Japanese original, it's recommended for mature teens.)

How do Nanki's tattoos and body piercings help define her character?

Movie Details

• On DVD or streaming : March 6, 2020
• Cast : Kiara Advani , Taher Shabbir , Gurfatch Pirzada
• Director : Ruchi Narain
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Indian/South Asian actors
• Studio : Netflix
• Genre : Drama
• Topics : Activism , Friendship
• Run time : 119 minutes
• MPAA rating : NR
• Last updated : June 20, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.