There have been countless courtroom dramas built on the idea that justice, though delayed, can still prevail through the protagonist’s resilience and the victim’s persistence. Director Jeethu Joseph, best known for his thrillers, does not attempt to reinvent the genre with “Neru” (2023). Instead, the film follows a familiar arc: a once-promising man, now burdened by personal and professional setbacks, finds in a sexual assault victim’s tragedy a chance at redemption while pursuing justice.
Despite its conventional structure and a largely predictable screenplay, “Neru” (2023) remains consistently engaging. What sustains its emotional pull is the intensity of its courtroom confrontations, where the clash between prosecution and defence unfolds with enough sincerity and tension to keep the drama compelling. Neru (2023) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis: A visually-impaired young woman named Sara is raped in her own home when no one else is around.
Michael, the son of a wealthy Malayali businessman based in Mumbai, is accused of the crime. With no eyewitnesses and very little evidence strong enough to directly implicate him, the case appears almost impossible for Sara and her parents to fight. Michael’s family, armed with money and influence, can afford the services of noted senior lawyer Rajasekharan, leaving Sara’s parents with little hope.
Desperate to find someone capable of standing up for their daughter, they continue their search with the support of the investigating officer. After months of trying, they finally approached Vijayamohan for help. But Vijayamohan is no longer in active practice and is himself unsure whether he is ready to take up such a demanding case.
Whether he can overcome his hesitation and secure justice for Sara forms the crux of “Neru”. Why Was Vijayamohan Barred from Practising? We are told that Vijayamohan (played by Mohanlal) began his legal career as a junior in the office of Rajasekharan (played by Siddique), a renowned and highly successful criminal lawyer of his time.
Under Rajasekharan’s guidance, Vijayamohan gradually built a name for himself in the same field. However, his swift rise did not sit well with his seniors. Things grew even more strained because of Vijayamohan’s closeness to Rajasekharan’s daughter, Poornima (played by Priyamani), which only intensified Rajasekharan’s resentment toward him.
In many ways, it seemed as if Rajasekharan had long been waiting for the right moment to bring Vijayamohan down. That opportunity arrived when Ahana (played by Santhi Mayadevi), who worked as a sessions clerk in the court, informally handed over a few documents to Vijayamohan. Technically, borrowing such documents off the record was illegal, even if it was also a practice sustained by professional trust.
Vijayamohan needed them for a case and promised to return them the next day. However, the documents went missing in a mysterious way, and it is strongly implied that Rajasekharan may have had a hand in their disappearance. As a result, Vijayamohan was suspended from the Bar for five years.
Even after the ban ended, Vijayamohan struggled to rebuild his career, and the prolonged fall pushed him into depression and increasingly anti-social behaviour. What Convinced Vijayamohan to Help Sara? Ahana strongly believes that Vijayamohan is the one person capable of helping Sara get justice, and she persistently urges Vijayamohan to step out of the shell he has built around himself after he was barred from the bar council.
Even then, Vijayamohan remains hesitant, unconvinced by Ahana’s words or by the encouragement of Paul Varghese (played by Ganesh Kumar). What finally stirs him is meeting Sara in person, witnessing her determination, and realising that Rajasekharan is appearing for the defence. At that moment, the case becomes more than a legal battle.
For Vijayamohan, it becomes a chance to save two lives at once, Sara’s and his own wounded sense of self. Neru (2023) Movie Ending Explained: Why Did Poornima Step in Instead of Rajasekharan? In the initial stages of the trial, everything seems to be working in Rajasekharan’s favour.
Confident of the verdict going Michael’s way, he underestimates Vijayamohan even after learning that he has taken Sara’s side. Since Rajasekharan has to appear before the Chief Justice’s Bench in the Arun Malhotra case, he asks his daughter Poornima to represent the defence in his place, believing that the other case demands his presence more urgently. Also Read: Top 15 Trial Movies of the 1990s, Ranked Later in the film, Rajasekharan is forced to step back again at another crucial moment, and Vijayamohan is the reason.
Rajasekharan had influenced the staff of a restaurant to tamper with the CCTV footage so that it would appear as though Michael was having lunch there with his friend at the very time Sara was assaulted. It was a calculated move from Rajasekharan, meant to weaken the prosecution’s case and tilt the verdict further in Michael’s favour. But Rajase