In legal dramas, there’s a well-established and predictable trope. An ambitious lawyer, an undefeated defense attorney, a street smart sidekick find themselves in a case caught in the moral and legal ambiguity of the system. Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari’s latest film, System, follows the same premise, but with some refreshing characters, nuanced performances and a rewarding climax. Streaming on Prime Video, the film attempts to turn the courtroom drama into a larger commentary on power, privilege, and the well-known cracks within India’s justice system.
Starring Sonakshi Sinha and Jyotika, the film shows an ambitious lawyer, Neha Rajvansh (played by Sinha), trying to find a footing in her father, Ravi Rajvansh’s law firm, where her brother has comfortably found his place as a lawyer. Unlike her brother, Neha has to win ten cases in a row to win her father’s trust. Neha navigates this difficult journey with the help of Sarika Rawat (Jyotika), a sharp-witted, humble courtroom stenographer whose life sharply contrasts with Neha’s privileged world.
The film’s strongest aspect lies in the dynamic between the two women. While Neha’s story is simple, it is Sarika’s life which becomes the emotional and moral centre of the story, giving the film its depth. Moreover, their evolving relationship gives System moments of honesty, and a narrative arc that examines how privilege and institutional power shape access to justice. Ashutosh Gowariker, in a supporting role as Ravi Rajvansh, lends authority to the legal drama.
The screenplay is engaging, however, it struggles with pacing in the second half, where social commentary sometimes overtakes emotional depth. Dialogues like “Ameeri ke shor mein gareeb ki awaaz kho jaati hai” feel flat, unrealistic. The drama inside the courtroom also fails to pick up the pace. It’s outside the courtroom, in the morally ambiguous life of Sarika, that the film finds its substance.
Visually, System maintains a polished OTT aesthetic, with neatly staged courtroom sequences and a sombre tone that takes the film away from reality. Certain twists are predictable, and the writing often explains its ideas rather than trusting the audience to discern it.
Still, the film remains engaging because of its performances. Sonakshi Sinha delivers one of her more restrained roles in recent years, while Jyothika brings warmth and intensity. At just over two hours, System may not reinvent the courtroom genre, but it succeeds as a watchable social thriller that asks uncomfortable questions to the system itself.