Accused Review: A Lesbian Sexual Thriller & Forced Feminism–Things Too Alien For Indian Audiences

RATING - ⭐ ⭐ 2/5*

Accused Review Movie Talkies:

Accused is essentially a new-age thriller revolving around a lesbian woman being accused of a serious crime. Since the film is set in a foreign country, it might suit the taste of those audiences, but in India, it feels quite unacceptable—even in a highly urban city like Mumbai. Netflix subscribers who are familiar with English-language content and foreign themes may not have many issues with Accused, but others are unlikely to embrace it. The forced feminism towards the end appears abruptly, creating a roadblock and pressing the wrong buttons.

Accused Story:

Accused follows a successful doctor, Geetika (Konkona Sen Sharma), who is promoted to the position of Dean at the hospital. She is in a relationship with a much younger woman, Meera (Pratibha Ranta), and the two are planning to adopt a baby and relocate. Just when everything seems to be going smoothly, Geetika is hit with shocking allegations of sexual harassment from anonymous sources. Soon, the number of complaints rises, and eventually one woman comes forward publicly to accuse Geetika. The investigation begins, tearing apart Geetika and Meera’s relationship. The couple stands on the verge of a breakup as Meera learns about Geetika’s past affairs. What happens next is best left undisclosed to preserve the suspense.

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One thing Accused certainly deserves credit for is the grip of its narrative. At just under two hours, it manages to remain engaging, and you hardly get a moment to step away from your seat. However, the problematic aspects stand out strongly. First is the theme—lesbian subject matter is still not something our mainstream audiences are very keen to watch. Secondly, the topic of serious allegations is presented in a very bold manner that may not sit well with many viewers. Thirdly, the film doesn’t have much to offer in the climax. The finale of the case feels underwhelming. On top of that, the film suddenly shifts tone toward overt feminism. The transition from a sexual predator narrative to a hardcore feminist stance that appears hostile to the male community feels unnecessary. The makers could have concluded the film with the case closure and delivered a softer message about faith and relationships. Instead, the obsession with what feels like forced feminism—especially for a film set in London—ends up hurting the overall impact of the storyline.

Accused Cast:

When it comes to performances, Accused certainly cannot be faulted. This department is the film’s biggest triumph. Konkona Sen Sharma delivers a towering performance that keeps the film afloat throughout. What phenomenal range she possesses—truly remarkable. The young Pratibha Ranta may not operate on Konkona’s level yet, but she performs fairly well for someone at an early stage in her career. After all, "she has a reputation to build" from here. Her cute and expressive face does much of the work effectively. Sukant Goel, Monica Mahendru, Adiya Nanda, Kalliroi Tziafeta, and others are fairly adequate in their respective roles.

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Accused Movie Review:

Technically, the film is a mixed bag. The cinematography is average, but the sound design is quite effective. The production design offers some fine sets, and the colour grading—though unnecessarily dark at times, much like many Netflix projects—still works reasonably well. The editing rarely gives you a chance to complain, and there are a few solid dialogues that keep the engagement alive. Anubhuti Kashyap’s storytelling shows promise and control, but the core storyline remains weak. It feels overly bold and somewhat outrageous, which makes it come across as unappealing for the target audience. Had the same film been made purely for UK or American viewers, the reception might have been different. However, as an Indian project, it feels blown out of proportion. A few messy and mismatched themes further dilute the impact and make it a rather dry affair. In short, Accused feels too alien to comfortably fit into the sensibilities of the broader Indian movie-viewing community.

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