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Here is all you need to know about the submissions for the 5th Edition of Lost Stories! Contact us directly for further queries.

Attention all storytellers and artists! Lost Stories Magazine, the literary platform of the National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam (NLUJA), is thrilled to announce an extension for our Call for Submissions. Due to the overwhelming response and the influx of incredible contributions pouring in, we have decided to extend the submission deadline to April 5th, 2024. This extension provides an excellent opportunity for those who still need to submit their work to join our vibrant community of creatives. Whether you're an established author/ artist or an emerging voice, we invite you to share your tales with us. Lost Stories Magazine is dedicated to showcasing diverse narratives that captivate, provoke thought, and inspire change. We welcome written arts like fiction and non-fiction stories, poetry and essays, and audio/ visual arts like photography, paintings and song renditions, anything that explores the complexities of the human experience. Our editorial team is committed to promoting inclusivity and amplifying underrepresented voices, so don't hesitate to submit your work, regardless of genre or theme. Selected submissions will be featured in our upcoming issue, reaching readers across the globe. We can't wait to see your contributions and embark on this journey together. For submission guidelines and more information, visit our website and follow us on social media. Join us as we celebrate the power of storytelling and art and the boundless creativity of the human spirit. Together, let's discover the lost stories waiting to be found. Website: https://loststories5.wixsite.com/loststoriesnluja/blog Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loststoriesnlujaa?igsh=Zml3M2tlN2NheDFz Submission Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScDmrsUd242oa10tNglCWb59DW1vZM3_UgOpEFC6PimmvyePw/viewform

Call for Submissions: 4th Edition of ‘The Lost Stories’ by NLUJAA, Assam: Submit by 25th March 2024, 11:59 PM. The Literary & Debating Committee of NLUJAA is making a call for submissions for the “4th edition of its annual literary magazine ‘The Lost Stories’.” Call for Submissions This edition of Lost Stories is accepting all formats of unpublished and original entries, be it written arts like poetry, prose, articles (opinion pieces, essays, book reviews, film reviews, etc.), visual and fine arts (photography, paintings, comedy sketches, digital art, etc.), travelogues and any piece of self-expression and creativity. Theme The submissions need not be restricted to any theme. We publish entries related to both, one’s lifestyle, and the ones related to general issues aimed towards sensitizing the readers. Who can Submit it? Students, academicians, research scholars, and anyone wanting to put across their creative flare can contribute to the magazine. Submission Guidelines All submissions to the magazine should be original and should not be simultaneously considered by any other publication. Plagiarized submissions will be rejected. The language of the submissions should be in English. Citations should be in the form of hyperlinks. Co-authorship is allowed to a maximum of two authors. All written submissions should be in the form of a Word document (.doc or .docx format). The Submissions shall include the following: Articles: The entries can be on any contemporary topic of your interest with a word limit of 1500-2000 words, excluding footnotes or endnotes. Longer posts might be considered depending on their quality. Poetry: Haikus, sonnets, limericks, or the good old free verse; your poem can be of any kind or topic in the universe. While there is no such limit on words, it is preferable to have one-page entries. Prose: Entries can include stories (fictional or non-fictional), opinion pieces, essays, travelogues, book reviews, and film reviews with a word limit of 1000-1500 words. Visual and Fine Artwork: Entries can include painting, sketch, digital art, photographs (only acceptable in high-resolution .jpeg format), hand-drawn comics, manga strips, etc. All such submissions must be submitted in the form of high-resolution images. Images must be your original work. Basic editing, including colour enhancement, the use of filters, and cropping of the images is acceptable, provided any such editing does not affect the authenticity and/or genuineness of the submission. A submitter/ contributor must refrain from using any advanced editing techniques that create illusions, or deceptions or that manipulate the image (for example: adding or subtracting significant elements within the image). Audio Notes/Audio Submissions:  Entries must be of a maximum duration of 10 minutes. They must be free from any extraneous sounds such as plosives, mic pops, or any other hardware noise such as mouse clicks, surrounding noise, excessive mouth noise, and any other outtakes. The audio files can be sent in either of the following formats, MP3, M4A, WAV, AAC, AIFF. The consistency in the audio levels, tone, noise spacing and pronunciation shall be maintained by the contributor throughout. Submission Deadline The deadline for submission is March 25, 2024, 11:59 PM IST. How to Submit? Submissions must be uploaded at the link given at the end of the post. Contact Information If any contributor has any queries or would like to discuss a proposal, please email loststories@nluassam.ac.in Vikranta Barsay (Editor-in-chief, ‘The Lost Stories’): +91 9952389400 Maahi Agarwal (Managing Editor, ‘The Lost Stories’): +91 8955707992 Ramendra Singh Sengar (Associate Editor, ‘The Lost Stories’): +91 9532353521 Submission Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScDmrsUd242oa10tNglCWb59DW1vZM3_UgOpEFC6PimmvyePw/viewform

‘The 21st century is a digital book.’ this line from Captain America: The Winter Soldier is an apt description of the times that we live in. When the history of our era is documented, the chronicles will definitely highlight our immense reliance on the internet. There are so many aspects of the web that we know about, but few are as loved as ‘Memes’. New meme trends arise daily, but where did the meme itself originate from? While we tend to think of memes as a product of social media, the etymology of the very word ‘meme' can be traced back to the celebrated 1976 publication The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins. So, the meme is almost as old as the internet itself, although it was primarily intended for the spread of cultural information. Recently, an old cartoon from 1921 resurfaced (courtesy BBC), and is being called The First Meme. But now, memes have long surpassed their original purpose; they have additionally become tools of humour by poking fun at the struggles and humdrum germane to ordinary and extraordinary lives. Further, as our digital footprint grows, more and more areas have elapsed into the column of ‘meme material'. It may be a celebrity statement (‘struggling’ to recall one), a Twitter thread, the newest Threads thread a cartoon, a scene from a movie or even a simple picture taken at random. The new age humourists or ‘memers’ as they are known, provide our daily dose of laughter by correlating trivial incidents in our daily lives with these templates. From storming Area 51 to addressing the ‘nagarpalika’, almost every frame of our lives has been ‘meme’ified, and that gives us the sense that a lot of millennial problems are universal. In recent times, memes have even become tools of political satire, and are being increasingly employed in political campaigns as well as highlighted in Michael Bloomberg’s presidential race when he started an unprecedented endeavour of hiring memers to propel his campaign. So, can it even be considered to be ludicrous or far-fetched if the average social media junkie refer to memes as a source of news and if we are asking the bigger question, can memes be considered to be just pointless rigmarole? However, even memes created for the purpose of entertainment have had their share of controversy and have even stoked a fiery debate on the right to freedom of speech and expression. This, in conclusion, should be a lesson in caution that rights also come with responsibilities. Through the endless vicissitudes of Internet and social media trends, there can be no unequivocal definition whether a meme can be a simple light-hearted jibe at humour or an offensive take at the matter at hand. While a dose of entertainment never hurt anyone, it is important to not get carried away, lest we forget our priorities in this highly competitive world. ******************* The First Meme By: Aroni Dipto Swami Batch of 2026 National Law University and Judicial Academy

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves” said Viktor Frankl in his world-renowned piece of work titled “Man’s Search for Meaning”. A mere glance at the cover of the book gave me an eerie feeling. The colourful bird juxtaposed amongst the monochromatic background of the macabre Auschwitz concentration camp is a work of art in of itself. The colourful bird signifies that despite all the negativity surrounding the gruesome events of the forced labour, torture and executions that comprise of the events of the holocaust, that there was still a reason to live on for those who found themselves to be victims of this barbaric series of events. The book, more than anything about psychology, tends to give its readers a sense of hope for better times. Without sounding pretentious or cocky, I’d like to shamelessly admit that I am a person who loves to go against the grain – I’ve always felt a sense of resistance in doing what the masses do. If everyone does it, how is it special anymore? Whether it be my taste in music, the kind of conversations I enjoy or the career path I’ve chosen, I’ve taken a liking for what isn’t exactly mainstream. Mental health has been a topic of a taboo nature for a long period of time. However, recent years have witnessed numerous students, actors, sportspersons and others openly speak about the mental trials and tribulations they’ve had to endure. On writing about the subject, I felt a slight resistance, considering it to be no more a topic of novel character. However, the topic is extremely close to my heart and the events that have transpired in my life have influenced me to make the conclusion that having sound mental health is the single most important factor that one needs to not only succeed in the conventional sense, but also function normally. It is this emotional connection that implores me to write on the subject. The COVID 19 pandemic and the ensuing series of lockdowns and restrictions revolutionised the manner in which people went about their daily lives. The sight of exuberant children playing gully cricket amongst the backdrop of the sweet evening sunset, the hustle and bustle of commuters on the local trains and buses, the conversations about politics and gossip at gatherings at local tea stalls all became things of the past. It was as if the whole of the vitality of human life was withdrawn forcefully at a moment’s notice. The only silver lining was the sweet sound of the mellifluous singing of the birds and the experience of joy on finding out that the air quality in the city has improved on account of the stark reduction of acts of pollution. The lockdown was especially hard. I found myself isolated, much like others. Just having completed five of my board exams, I was overjoyed to find out that I wouldn’t have to write the sixth board exam but at the same time, disappointed to have lost out on all those interactions at school and elsewhere. This isolation got me feeling restless, lost and unnecessarily anxious. Not having access to my gym added on to my woes. The lockdown was a collective feeling of unease and isolation that the whole world had to endure. However, my tryst with such feelings has continued since then and has only abated in recent times. Oftentimes, I’ve felt like my problems are insignificant and, in most cases, they definitely feel like they are in the long-term. We’ve all been through those times when we’ve felt “Why does this keep happening to me? Why oh God Why?”. These can be tough times. The world feels like its crashing down and that there is absolutely no hope. In hindsight, they tend to be quite insignificant, laughable even. I keep comparing my problems with that of the orphaned child with sunken eyes and yellowish skin running about in tattered clothes, or the single mother domestic help who works two jobs to make sure she has enough to put her two sons through their higher education. Worrying about that below-average grade on that test, a gaffe with my friends or my insecurities about my body seem absolutely ridiculous in comparison. This isn’t to say that these don’t matter but that those who are disadvantaged would switch their problems with mine in an instance and treat them as almost non-problems instead. There is a school of thought that believes that most cases of depression are not actual cases of clinical depression but rather a sign that one is living a life that is disconnected from one’s realities. Constantly dwelling over past events or indulging in excessive contemplation of future occurrences are the ingredients that form the perfect recipe for mental disaster. It is so incredibly important that the youngsters of today, more than anything, feel like they are heard and that their opinions matter. Abraham Maslow explained it clearly that above the most basic needs for survival, people have this innate longing for a sense of collective belonging- a look back to the caveman days explains why tribes were so important. However, what was then most essential for survival is still quite pertinent to one’s vitality. The pandemic had me land on this gold mine of a community known as the self-improvement community. The self-improvement community on YouTube consists of content that is primarily aimed at young boys and men who find themselves rudderless or without direction in life. This is a community that is commonly misunderstood and termed to be misogynistic and toxic. As with all things, a few bad apples don’t mean that apples anywhere in the world must never be eaten. The core tenet of self-improvement is about taking control of one’s life. It’s about ending the cycle of blaming one’s externalities for one’s misgivings and the whole purpose of self-improvement is to ensure that one improves himself or herself through habits aimed at developing the body, mind and personality. These may include habits ranging from lifting weights in the gym to meditation and learning social skills. I’ve been following this line of self-improvement for over a year and a half now and I’ve had my share of highs and lows. There will be times when self-improvement in of itself feels hopeless. The constant need to refrain from gobbling that sugary donut or say yes to that unnecessarily loud and chaotic party can make one feel as though he or she is even more isolated. Viktor Frankl explained it succinctly in his book – “Man’s Search for Meaning” that “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms-to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” What matters more than anything is our perception about various events in our lives. A simple change in perspective makes a world of a difference. I told myself that the next time I feel depressed or unworthy that I would push myself to do something difficult – say reading a book that I normally would never read or do a series of push ups or even talk to a friend that I trust about something incredibly random. It can be surprising how just these few steps can lead to a drastic change in perspective. This isn’t to belittle the role of therapy or the existence of mental illnesses. However, taking a page out of stoic philosophy might be the best decision I’ve ever made. There are times when I still feel down, as though I’m isolated, even amongst people and friends. However, these are transient feelings. Action spurs me on to shift my focus from what doesn’t deserve my attention – such as constantly dwelling over the past or overanalysing events. It can be particularly challenging when social media makes it seem as though people’s lives are flawless. The urge to be validated is natural – it flows from the innate want for a sense of belonging. This is necessary, but only to a limited extent. The paradox lies in the fact that most people are aware of this yet are unable to fight their primitive, untrained instincts that tend to overpower their thoughts. As Viktor describes in his book “Man’s Search for Meaning”, some of the prisoners in the gruesome concentration camps in Nazi Germany sought to find meaning to their lives as a means to push forward and strive to live for one extra day. The dinner table banter, the conversations about the food that one was to eat after one escaped – these are the crucial few activities that allowed them to function at a level more than a barely living existence. As with most things, I have noticed that life, although incredibly complex, is also, quite ironically, also incredibly simple. Our rational minds know what to do but it is the series of activities –the procrastination, the distractions, the constant overthinking that serve as roadblocks to a peaceful existence. I do not know whether what I am doing is certainly right. I am aware of the fact that I will not do certain things right. I can be unnecessarily hard on myself. I also choose not to show my emotions too evidently. Be that as it may, I fancy a comparison with the have-nots as opposed to the haves. This is the only type of comparison that makes me feel about the person who forms the other subject of comparison as opposed to myself. The more I think about myself, the more I complicate life and the more I complicate life, the more I make my existence unenjoyable. It is far easier to preach this than to practise it but always remember, more than anything, perspective is everything. By: Aditya H (Hiremath) Student Hidayatullah National Law University

“In that moment, it felt like I was already dead” 1. Introduction While Netflix’s infinitely controversial ’13 Reasons Why’ has been tagged as a show involving teen suicide, it could also be viewed as a persuasive indictment of rape culture. Its plot centres around Hannah Baker, a teenage girl who decides to end her life. Over the course of the 13 episodes, the viewers witness the protagonist being sexually objectified by her classmates, sexually harassed on social media, stalked outside her home, sexually assaulted in public and raped at a house party. While the show received severe criticism from educators and mental health professionals, who claimed that it glamorizes suicide, it effectively brings out the reality of the persisting rape culture in our country. Distorted interpretations of 'consent’ while deciding rape trials have been persistent in India for a fairly long time, which, to a great deal, explains why there are nearly 90 rapes happening each day in the country. On account of such stereotypy-ridden judgments, orders or remarks, the judiciary has, on several occasions, failed to provide proper justice to rape victims. Stereotypical notions such as utmost resistance, past sexual conduct and leading a ‘respectable’ lifestyle have regularly been employed by the judges in deciding cases. While there have been significant amendments in the laws pertaining to rape and sexual assault, to date, instances of such stereotypical notions harboured by judges are often brought to light. 2. Stereotypical Notions of ‘Consent’ 2.1. Short dresses: Implied consent? In episode 12 of Season 1, the viewers witness a horrific sequence of misery and trauma, when the show’s primary antagonist, Bryce Walker, commits rape upon Hannah in a hot tub. While Hannah doesn’t explicitly utter the term ‘no’, her actions make it evident that she did not want to participate in the sexual act. Before Bryce held her down with brute force, she made 2 failed attempts to get out of the hot tub. However, during the act, she did not resist but rather lay lifeless in trauma and exhaustion. In a later scene, when the protagonist, Clay Jensen, went to confront Bryce about Hannah, he asserted that since Hannah got into the hot tub, without a suit on, of her own volition, she herself wanted to get intimate with him. The debate as to whether short clothes are an open ticket to rape has been going on for decades and seems to be here to stay. In a recent case, a Kozhikode district and sessions court granted bail to the accused, on the ground that since the victim had worn a ‘sexually-provocative’ dress, Section 354A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which criminalizes the act of using force against a woman with the intent to disrobe her, would not be attracted. Within barely a few days, there was a large public outcry and a plethora of legal sources that highlighted the flawed pronouncement. Even in the 21st century, an era supposed to be thriving in education and equality, several people claim that women wear short dresses to incite men. Such people, who still seem to have not gotten over the pre-colonial era hangover, fail to decipher the thick line of difference between ‘stylish’ and ‘slutty’. 2.2. The ’perfect’ rape victim While it is true that the question of whether the victim consented depends upon the facts and circumstances of the case, the following phrase needs to find its place in the minds of people in power: ‘Not saying an express ‘no’ does not mean a ‘yes’’. For instance, in a 2017 judgement by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the reasons cited by the court for suspending the sentences of the accused were ridden with stereotypy and misogyny. Grounds taken up, such as the victim not confiding in her parents despite visiting them in the immediate aftermath of the incident, having admitted to having consumed alcohol and drugs and having had a life comprising casual relationships and adventurism in sexual encounters effectively paint an image of ‘the perfect rape victim’. Ratna Kapur, an acclaimed professor, rightly stated that in order to receive justice, the woman must essentially be “honourable, monogamous, pure, chaste, and confined to the domestic sphere”. It is imperative to draw parallels with the cases of Hannah Baker and the show’s secondary protagonist, Jessica Davis, in ‘13 Reasons Why’, in light of the aforementioned statement. Hannah had not been a virgin when she was raped by Bryce. However, as she admitted to one of the show’s main characters and her good friend, Zach Dempsey, she wished to lose her virginity to someone she liked. By losing her virginity to someone consensually, she most certainly did not throw herself open to being violated by anybody else. Similarly, Jessica, when she was raped by Bryce, was heavily inebriated, on account of which she wasn’t able to apply proper resistance. In a more recent and hair-rising judgement, the Karnataka High Court granted bail to the accused, primarily on three grounds. Firstly, the victim did not inform the authorities about the incident in its immediate aftermath. Secondly, after the incident, the victim, instead of acting in the capacity of ‘the perfect rape victim’ by being utterly distraught, fell asleep. And finally, upon being offered to have drinks by the accused, she did not resist. Based on similar lines, the Supreme Court passed a judgement in 2016. The victim herein, in the immediate aftermath of the incident, had stayed back at the place of occurrence and had enquired about the accused, which, according to the court, was not the kind of emotion that a rape victim would usually display. By making such observations, courts effectively draw a demarcation between a ‘traditional Indian woman’ and a ‘woman harbouring Western traits’, where while the former is to believe, the modus operandi of the latter would cast serious doubt on her testimony. In ‘13 Reasons Why’, Hannah’s story came to light only after she committed suicide. Jessica, too, was able to have Bryce convicted only after being routinely encouraged by her friends and family. Rape, even today, is considered a social taboo, not just in the rural arena but also in several developed states. Because of the fear of being judged, blamed and harassed that may add to their mental trauma, the victim often finds it hard to come out of her shell. Taking such silence as proof of ‘consent’ is not only absurd but also a marred blot upon one of the most important pillars of democracy. 3. Conclusion Katherine Langford’s ‘Hannah Baker’ and Alisha Boe’s ‘Jessica Davis’ might be fiction, but their characters echo the voices of thousands of real-life women, who came up with the aim of having their rapists held liable, only to be denied justice on account of stereotypy. It is not the girl who needs to be questioned; it is the rapist who needs to be. No matter how stringent the laws of rape are made, if the judge is consumed by stereotypy and misogyny, justice is bound to be denied. By: Vedant Saxena Student (4th year) Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala

Much juristic ink has flowed through all these years, Much being hammered in the memories and the ears As to the inseparability that language possesses with the mother of the glorious land Keeping a strong weapon of confidence on the shoulders of the young aspirants and jurist's hand Rubbing the wrong way and tussle that may come the way Interpretations of veracity of literature may make one glee and grab opportunities to clasp the hay Creating new horizons and breaking through the clutches of impediments There comes a literary and debate committee putting the heads together with strong determinants Prolific as the ancestors of this prestigious field have been Endless learning passed on to the progeny as a token of guidance are explicitly seen The incessant need to work more to achieve the pinnacle of success as it awaits and beckons us Literature is not devoid but the traveller alongside the much experienced law, thus. Both traveling the untrodden path of this journey not oblivious of but much aware of their goals Not drifting aimlessly but confident and striding forward with their hopes Taking along all young, raw brilliant heads and globetrotters in various fields along this path To cherish, enrich, not for mere ostentatious but for definitive and purposeful task. Hail the glory of law! Hail the glory of literature To have proliferated the much sought after and necessary culture The external culture of knowledge and grasping all inspiration that we come across The ethereal ocean of sanctity of gaining the major takeaways with a glib as an oceanic albatross! By: Nandini Ravishankar SY BBA LLB Hons. MIT World Peace University, Pune

Let me set sail, To a faraway land. There, let me dance in hail, And bury not myself in sand. Where none know my name, For I'm no longer be the same. Let me set sail, To such distant land. Where none follow my trail, And with pride, I can again stand. There, I shall take back my name, For a tale awaits me with no shame. I will set sail, To my belonging land. There, I shall find my holy grail, And make my left time grand. Where, shadow shan't fall my name, For my life shall I again tame. I bid goodbye, for I set sail, Calling to my fondest land. Where my life awaits, not all pale, And this is for what I am meant. There, I dream of my new name, For a sign of happy, I reclaim. By: Shouvik Nath LL.M National Law University and Judicial Academy

Tired of all the household tasks I tried writing something as a time pass However ended up thinking a zillion other chores That waited to be done even when it bores I am the Mistress of our Abode But doing chores is all I am available for Knitting, Sewing, Gardening, Cleaning, cooking, decorating Which ones made my heart flutter Now give me endless trouble I have dreams and aspirations Desires and Passions Yet all of my time flies by While cooking French fries I wake up at the daybreak And till midnight stay awake But still feel 24 hours are less As the chores don’t decrease nevertheless I am the ‘jobless’ person Doing forty jobs in a day Not even a single penny paid No better than a maid I am given the sobriquet ‘Homemaker’ But lad, Euphemism doesn’t make it better Still the one doing all the work, Often thought to be a ‘free-loader’ I am no machine But I work 24*7 for 365 days in a row Without anyone to intervene Without any promotion or opportunity to grow The Pandemic didn’t help me either Instead, it took my little moment of breather As it made Stay and Work from Home the new norm In turn making my responsibilities further swarm Family time is supposed to heal Weary, exhausted, worn-out souls But it weakens me further Gives me the additional job of a waiter I swear I love my spouse to the moon And my kids to the Andromeda galaxy But every time they take me for granted I wish to make them realize their impertinence As my heart no longer stays enchanted Alas, I can’t go my heart’s way Simply have to hide my misery away Coz I am the Homemaker Whose life’s purpose is to be the family’s anchor Being a Homemaker Is no easy job, I tell you Not a bed of roses But a battle fought everyday With tired spirit and fatigued muscles With shattered dreams and no route to escape Yet I am not complaining, Not any more at least All I want is a little break, And some time to introspect And a bit of Recognition As a ‘Full time working person without any circumscription’ As Salary is out of option . By: Ananya Mishra Research Scholar

INTRODUCTION This complex subject of laws intended to safeguard women and how those very same laws are being abused by women for personal gain is addressed in the bold and timely film Section 375. Both sides of the tale are presented by the narrative's use of point-of-view changes. From the opening scenes the audience witnesses a relation between the Law and Justice. Tarun Saluja (Akshaye Khanna) asserts during a law school event that "justice is abstract, law is an actuality." It stands out in a film that generally appears to take its legal study seriously that Saluja (Akshaye Khanna) is presented as Senior Advocate, High Court—which one is not mentioned. He strongly believes in the rule of law, the right of everyone—including accused rapists—to the assistance of counsel, and the distinction between justice and the law. His younger sister Hiral Gandhi (Richa Chadha), who can't stand this last aspect, departed his chamber because of it. ABOUT THE FILM Famous film director Rohan Khurana (Rahul Bhat) is detained and found guilty by the Sessions Court after Anjali Dangle, a costume designer, accuses him of rape. As Rohan's helper, Anjali is sent to his home to gain his approval on certain costumes. When Anjali gets to his house, Rohan and the maid are already there. Rohan sends the maid to the market when Anjali arrives so that they can be alone in the house. Soon after, we witness how Rohan is pushing her and "forcing" her against her will. In the next scene Anjali is observed by her neighbour, stepping out of an auto-rickshaw while her face is covered in a scarf. However, the neighbour notices Anjali"s behavior as being strange right away. Her brother is the first person to discover her when they arrive at her residence, and they then proceed to call the police. Following the filing of the complaint, the police, in accordance with standard procedure, sends Anjali for a full body examination. Major bruises are discovered all over her face and in between her thighs during the examination. In addition, the scrapings taken from under her nails contain traces of Rohan's DNA. When Rohan is examined, it is discovered that his back is covered in nail scratches and that his DNA matches the DNA found on and inside Anjali's body. When all of the evidence is presented to the Sessions Court, the Judge immediately sentences Rohan to ten years in prison. After the Sessions Court issues this order, Rohan's wife seeks the assistance of Tarun Saluja (Akshaye Khanna), a well-known criminal lawyer. When the Sessions Court order is challenged in the High Court, Anjali is represented by Hiral Gandhi (Richa Chadha), a utopian lawyer and champion of women's rights who is fighting her first major case. Surprisingly, Hiral was once Tarun's trainee. Tarun attempts to expose the flaws in Anjali's claims under the watchful eyes of judges Justice Madgaonkar (Kishore Kadam) and Justice Indrani (Kruttika Desai). Throughout the course of the case, Tarun presents concrete evidence and refutes Anjali's claims. Hiral, on the other hand, defends her client with emotion rather than logic. She comes across as a lawyer who is zoned out and occasionally raises an 'objection'. Rohan confesses during the hearing, and the details included in the confession were: Anjali and Rohan had an extramarital affair, and Rohan had promised her a major film project. As a result of the relationship's end, Rohan refused to give Anjali the project, and Anjali tried to blame Rohan for the rape. However, everything that happened between the two of them was completely consensual. And Tarun is successful to demonstrate that Anjali's own brother was partially responsible for the bruises that were discovered on her body. And despite the fact that it is a crucial piece of evidence, the court entirely ignores it. WHAT THE FILM GOT RIGHT From the legal point of view, the court maintains the Order of the Sessions Court due to the murky nature of the case and evidence, public pressure, and a lack of conclusive evidence of Anjali's spitefulness. Anjali then admits to Hiral outside the courtroom that Rohan's confession was accurate and that some of her bruises were caused by her own brother and some by herself. Hiral is stunned by this and feels bad about her. The title of the film 'Section 375' is derived from the same section of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 that contains the definition of rape. In this movie, the accused Rohan is charged with the following offenses mentioned under the Indian Penal Code, 1860: Section 376: Penalty for rape Section 342: Penalty for wrongful confinement Section 354B: Penalty for assault or use of criminal force on a woman with intent to disrobe and Section 506: Penalty for criminal intimidation. And I feel that the film never feels dragged and delivers the messages it intends to deliver early on. It touches on its main premise of informing the audience about Section 375. As it is commonly assumed that "no rape occurs without the consent of a woman," the film emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between "will" and "consent" the two main requirements when it comes to sex. WHAT WENT WRONG IN THE FILM If the acts committed were not consensual, all of these sections are legally applicable. However, the film depicts two opposing viewpoints on the same situation, one more plausible than the other. Tarun appears throughout the film as the devil's advocate, supporting a criminal and being despised for it. He examines and presents facts in an unconventional manner. He is constantly questioning the case's veracity, even having his practicing license suspended at one point. According to my understanding of Section-375 movie it had raised many questions on my understanding of the MeToo movement. The film raised a lot of questions about the # MeToo Movement making it extremely timely. Even though the film received positive reviews from critics. However, it did not perform well at the box office and failed to get the acclaim from the audience and it had received mixed reviews, but it definitely sparked a debate. During the # MeToo Movement, many allegations were made, some of which were true and some of which were false, similar to the movie. Women were seen on social media speaking out about various incidents that happened to them years ago, and this was seen not only in Bollywood but also in the entertainment and corporate sectors. By the understanding of this movie I have felt that women make false allegations for a variety of reasons, including vengeance, previous grudges, workplace animosity, attempting to obtain money through compensation, and so on. The more heartbreaking part is that there are no laws protecting men from false allegations made by women. Feminism is a relevant and important movement in today's world, especially in a patriarchal country like India, but it should not be exploited or confused with pseudo-feminism and misandry. The judges in the film admit that the case has two different theories, either of which could be correct, but because the law was created for and in favor of the victim, it must be followed regardless of which theory is correct. SOCIO-LEGAL IMPACTS OF THE MOVIE After the analysis of this movie, I can say that this movie was a gripping take on the aspects Law vs. Justice and it shows not only woman always become victim of the offences like rape and other sexual offenses and even men can become a victim in the cases where if women are likely to take revenge and have their personal vengeance on a particular person and making the false allegations on them and the sad part is that even though the man is not at wrong the society treats him like a criminal and they will be on the opinion to get him punished by not even seeing the issue from his side of the story. And for these types of the offenses, there are no laws protecting the victims herein this case it is Rohan. I believe that the present societal mentality of the people is deeply ingrained in Section 375; the hash tag #hangtherapist is trending online, and #MeToo is frequently mentioned. And it is precisely this that raises the question of why director Ajay Bahl chose to focus his camera on the idea of a false case at a time when women are finally finding the strength to come up about the sexual harassment and assault they have endured for so long. CONCLUSION The film is cynical about the distinction between law and justice; the law is concrete, but justice is abstract. Tarun establishes in the film's opening line, "Justice is abstract, but law is a fact" and there are numerous similar lines throughout the film. Tarun asserts his right to be heard. "Imagine a world without the constitutional right to self-defense," he says early in the film. This would be a horrible world. Tarun, predictably, blames social media for demonizing his client prematurely and permanently. In doing so, he ignores the fact that the man had already been convicted under the law, so whatever outrage ensued was legally sanctioned. It is clear from the film's plot that the director is more interested in depicting the plight of the accused but does not always make the best effort. In the guise of being a subtle reminder of how no man accused of rape can ever "walk free" even if acquitted by the legal system, the film sends a very toxic and dangerous message. At the end of the movie when Hiral meets Tarun and admits to him that she does not believe that justice was served, Tarun replies "we're not in the business of justice; we're in the business of law". This only goes to show that justice is a nebulous concept, and law is merely a means to an end. In this case, the tool does not exist, preventing justice from being served. By:- Boddu Harshith Sai 3 rd Year BBA LLB (H) BENNETT UNIVERSITY