Two devastated but resilient parents seeking justice for their deceased children. The gut-wrenching Netflix series Trial by Fire, directed by Prashant Nair and Kevin Luperchio, rides on the shoulders of Abhay Deol and Rajshri Deshpande as Shekhar and Neelam Krishnamoorthy, who lost their two kids — a 13-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl — in the fire that broke out in Uphaar Cinema in New Delhi on June 13, 1997.

As many as 59 people had died and 103 sustained injuries in the fire, allegedly caused by a shoddily repaired transformer. The series is a dramatic adaptation of true events following the tragedy as the grieving couple carry on the battle of knocking on the court’s door for justice.

Abhay’s Shekhar and Rajshri’s Neelam connect with the audience on an emotional level, making you not only empathise with the Krishnamoorthys but also question the loopholes in the justice system.

Abhay’s chameleon-like ability of embodying his characters shines through in his portrayal of Shekhar, a broken father whose dropped shoulder and sunken eyes show the portrait of a defeated man. He quietly but steadily becomes a pillar-like support for his wife and fights court battles while dealing with the loss of his kids. Shekhar falters in his steps quite a few times but he proves himself to be a loving father and a kind husband.

It is Rajshri, however, who dazzles as a mother who would go to any lengths to get justice for her children. The mother of two breaks into a wedding, argues with police officers, makes copies of official paperwork and almost fights half the legal battle all on her own. Neelam transforms from a mother into a warrior, all while silently grieving the loss of her children.

Trial by Fire, in its entirety, is an unfiltered look at the justice system of the country. The 25-year-long court battle is shown through breaks in time, making viewers as frustrated as the ones fighting the battle. While Uphaar Cinema owners, the Ansal brothers, remain faceless defendants who do not show up in courts, they continue to delay the court proceedings.

The Krishnamoorthys, on the other hand, start AVUT (Association of the Victims of Uphaar Tragedy) bringing together the victims’ families and fighting legal battles that span over two decades.

Tampered evidence, missing legal paperwork, fake witness testimonials and letting the poor take the blame throw light on how the affluent might influence such cases. Even after an arduous court battle, the results are bleak, leaving the Krishnamoorthys and the other families heartbroken at the tragic state of affairs.

While the series starts off slow, it gradually picks up pace, introducing one character after another, making you root for them. The creators take you on a journey through 1997 India through the costumes, hairstyles, colour palettes and more.

The editing and cinematography are almost flawless in the sixth episode, which sheds light on the story of electrical engineer Veer Singh (Rajesh Tailang). The camera swiftly pans through windows and rooms to show the passage of time as the engineer is left to shoulder the blame of the faulty transformer that led to the fire. The sixth episode isn’t just an editing marvel but also a look at how the rich and powerful skip going behind bars while letting the powerless take the blame.

Trial by Fire is bound to leave you restless and frustrated at the justice system and gawk at the power that lies in the hands of those that are rich enough to hoodwink the system.