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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsLargely, yes. Vikrant Massey and Pankaj Tripathi are the strongest reason to watch the 2019 Hindi season of Criminal Justice, and most of the reviews published when it launched say so. The series as a whole gets a more divided response, mainly because critics felt it runs too long and moves unevenly from its crime story into police, jail and courtroom material.
Which Criminal Justice this review covers
This article is about the first season of the Hindi-language Criminal Justice, released in 2019 and reviewed in early April 2019. It is an Indian adaptation, not the BBC original it is based on. The series was directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia and Vishal Furia. The April 5, 2019 review in The Indian Express describes it as ten episodes long. Hindustan Times also compared its source lineage with HBO’s The Night Of, which is useful context if you already know that show.
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Later seasons exist, and a current review listing in The Times of India covers several of them. Nothing in this article applies to those later instalments; the verdict below is about season one only.
The premise and how the story moves
The season opens with Aditya Sharma, a young Mumbai cab driver who is also a student. After a ride with a passenger, he wakes up beside her body and is drawn into the criminal process. The story then widens in stages:
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- The setup: the cab ride, the death, and Aditya’s position as the man found beside it.
- Arrest and police procedure: the investigation and how he is handled once suspected.
- Remand and judicial custody: the period before trial, which The Indian Express singles out for detailed treatment.
- Jail: the prison environment and the pressures that come with it.
- Hearings and trial: the courtroom phase, where the legal case is argued.
Pankaj Tripathi plays Madhav Mishra, Aditya’s lawyer, so the courtroom stage is where the two leads share the most screen time. These are fictional television events. Reviews of the series are critics’ opinions, not legal analysis, so the series should not be read as a guide to how real Indian criminal cases usually proceed.
Vikrant Massey and Pankaj Tripathi
Performance is where reviewers agree most. Across the coverage, Massey (as Aditya Sharma) and Tripathi (as Madhav Mishra) are praised as the reasons the series holds attention, even by critics who are otherwise unconvinced.
Rank #2
- Condition: New
- Format: DVD
- Color; DVD; NTSC
Vikrant Massey as Aditya Sharma
Massey carries the central case. Because Aditya is present in almost every stage of the story, from the cab ride through custody, his performance is what sustains the series when the plot is slow. Reviewers who liked the show generally cite him alongside Tripathi rather than as a separate highlight.
Pankaj Tripathi as Madhav Mishra
Tripathi plays the lawyer whose work gives the series its legal and courtroom spine. Several reviews name him as a main reason to watch, and he is the figure most closely tied to the verdict in the title.
Rank #3
Jackie Shroff
Hindustan Times singles out Jackie Shroff as a standout in the ensemble, alongside the two leads. It is the only review in this set to name him as a highlight.
Where the reviews agree and where they split
The table below summarises the four reviews in this set. Scope matters: Hindustan Times reviewed only the first three episodes at publication, so its assessment is an early one.
Rank #4
| Outlet and date | Scope | Overall stance | Main praise | Main criticism |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Indian Express, April 5, 2019 | Full season, described as ten episodes | Positive; calls the series engaging | Detailed treatment of remand, judicial custody and hearings; the ensemble | Not stated in the review coverage examined |
| Scroll.in, April 6, 2019 | Full season | Mixed; headline describes an “unwieldy saga” | Lead performances by Massey and Tripathi; the adaptation | Length; a lack of freshness; supporting roles treated as afterthoughts |
| India Today, April 6, 2019 | Full season | Negative on overall execution | Performances and premise | Mix of genres; episode length; pacing and structure |
| Hindustan Times, April 6, 2019 | First three episodes only; rated 3.5/5 | Positive, with reservations about its lineage | Massey, Tripathi and Jackie Shroff | Familiar adaptation lineage |
The reviews share one conclusion: the leads are good. They differ on everything around them. The Indian Express and Hindustan Times are more generous about the structure, while Scroll.in and India Today are more doubtful. Those differences are about writing, structure and pacing, not about the cast.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to weigh performance against structure
The verdict depends on what you want from the series. Use this as a rough guide:
Best Value
- Watch it if you enjoy character-driven legal and prison drama, and you are willing to accept a slower, wider story in exchange for strong central performances.
- Be cautious if you want a tightly paced murder mystery. Critics who were disappointed mostly said the series spreads itself too thin for that kind of viewing.
- Expect a familiar template if you already know the BBC series or The Night Of. Hindustan Times makes this point, and the adaptation status is the first thing to keep in mind.
Where to watch and how to check availability
The Indian Express review from 2019 names Hotstar as the streaming home of the series. A current review listing from The Times of India labels the service Disney+ Hotstar. Availability can differ by country, subscription tier and date, so check the service’s regional catalogue before you rely on it, and confirm that season one is included in your plan.
What these reviews can and cannot tell you
The coverage examined here is entirely from critics writing in April 2019, close to the season’s launch. It does not include audience figures, ratings averages or verified quotations from the cast, creators or legal experts. Where this article reports a view, it is the reviewer’s opinion, and where a reviewer’s reading of the courtroom or prison material is included, it reflects the fiction on screen rather than actual procedure.
Taken together, the reviews support a clear narrower verdict than the headline suggests: Massey and Tripathi win the argument, while the series as a whole remains open to criticism on length and pacing.
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