Synopsis
The film is inspired by a real-life incident from northern India and follows a family whose lives are upended after becoming entangled in the criminal justice system. It centres on Aby, a bank employee, his wife Sara, an orphan, and their teenage daughter Riya, who lead a quiet and contented life.
Following workplace-related issues, Aby is transferred to Kolkata as a disciplinary measure. While travelling to their new residence, the family's vehicle is stopped by an anti-narcotics squad, which claims to have discovered illegal drugs in the car. As a result, the family is arrested and remanded to custody.
While in prison, Sara and Riya face harassment and abuse from both police personnel and fellow inmates. Through the family's experiences, the film examines the consequences of abuse of authority and shortcomings within the legal and social systems. It also explores the vulnerabilities faced by women and children within the criminal justice system.
Reception
Deepa Soman for The Times of India stated, "With its fair share of pitfalls and loopholes, our legal justice system has been existing in our midst, to make important decisions on people lives, for long. When women are at its receiving end, the system gets a lot more skewed. Marupadi, a film by V.M. Vinu, typifies such a frightful situation, demanding some scary answers and solutions if any". Filmihood.com rated the movie 3 out of 5.
