Pankaj Tripathi Is Back With Criminal Justice 4
Pankaj Tripathi returns as Madhav Mishra in Criminal Justice: A Family Matter, the much-anticipated fourth season of the acclaimed legal drama.
Dust off your law books and top up your teacups, because the nation’s favourite underdog barrister with the belly full of chai and a brain full of quirks is back. Yes, Pankaj Tripathi returns as the endlessly endearing Madhav Mishra in the fourth instalment of Criminal Justice, this time subtitled A Family Matter. And judging by the new teaser, family or not, things are about to go pear-shaped.
If you thought Mishra had seen it all – from dodgy alibis to clients slipperier than a buttered eel – think again. This time, our beloved brief is neck-deep in what appears to be a torrid love affair and a murder so shocking it could knock the wig off a High Court judge. The stakes have never been higher, and yet Mishra remains calm as a cucumber, armed with his characteristic wit and the kind of courtroom charm that would make even Rumpole raise an eyebrow in approval.
“It’s a homecoming,” Tripathi said, rather like a man returning to his favourite chaat stall after a long diet. “Every time I return as Madhav Mishra, it’s like reuniting with an old friend who still has something new to teach me.” One gets the feeling that Mishra is more than a character to Tripathi – he’s practically family. Or at least the sort of family member who turns up uninvited, solves a murder, and then asks for another cup of tea.
Director Rohan Sippy, clearly chuffed to bits, added, “Working with Tripathi again was an absolute delight. Madhav Mishra has become an unforgettable character… and this season brings a cracking new cast who play off him brilliantly.” In short: new faces, old tricks, and enough legal drama to make Perry Mason look like he’s playing draughts.
And what a cast it is! Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Surveen Chawla, Mita Vashisht, Asha Negi, Shweta Basu Prasad, Khushboo Atre, and Barkha Singh will all be joining the dock (figuratively, we hope). If there’s one thing the Criminal Justice franchise has nailed – besides dramatic pauses and last-minute evidence – it’s casting. There’s bound to be sparks, spats, and one or two gavel-slamming moments.
Produced by Applause Entertainment in cahoots with BBC Studios India and JioHotstar, the series is all set to drop on 22nd May. So mark your calendars, cancel your plans, and prepare for some binge-worthy legal tomfoolery with just the right touch of emotional heft.
In a telly landscape filled with swaggering supercops and brooding detectives, Madhav Mishra is the everyman’s hero – always two steps behind but somehow arriving bang on time. And let’s face it – we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Verdict: All rise – Mishra’s back, and justice has never looked so delightfully dishevelled.
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