{ "id": "epq3bcrk1n", "slug": "illegal-justice-out-of-order", "title": "Illegal - Justice, Out of Order", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted", "label": "Unscripted, reality, and web-native series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native", "label": "Web-native and streaming-original series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.indian_southasian_webseries", "label": "Indian and South Asian web series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.indian_southasian_webseries" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native", "label": "India · 2001 to 2020: Web-native and streaming-original series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native", "path": [ { "id": "geo.ind", "label": "India", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2001", "label": "India · 2001 to 2020", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2001.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001.culture" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted", "label": "Unscripted, reality, and web-native series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native", "label": "Web-native and streaming-original series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Illegal - Justice, Out of Order (Illegal) is a Hindi legal drama web series, 2020-2024, three seasons, 26 episodes, starring Neha Sharma and Piyush Mishra, created by Reshu Nath, directed by Sahir Raza, on Voot then JioHotstar.", "snippet": "Illegal - Justice, Out of Order (Illegal) is a Hindi legal drama web series, 2020-2024, three seasons, 26 episodes, starring Neha Sharma and Piyush Mishra, created by Reshu Nath, directed by Sahir Raza, on Voot then JioHotstar.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.indian_southasian_webseries", "markdown": "# Illegal - Justice, Out of Order\n\n**Illegal - Justice, Out of Order** is an Indian Hindi-language legal drama web series that premiered on Voot Select on 12 May 2020, following an idealistic young lawyer, [Niharika Singh](https://www.edgepedia.org/niharika-singh), who joins a top Delhi criminal law firm and comes into conflict with her mentor, the powerful senior advocate Janardhan Jaitley.[1](https://www.gadgets360.com/entertainment/illegal-web-series-105612) • [2](https://www.iradaentertainment.com/illegal-justice.html) The series ran for three seasons between 2020 and 2024, totaling 26 episodes.[3](https://epilog.tv/show/illegal-justice-out-of-order)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Original release | 12 May 2020 on Voot Select; currently streaming on JioHotstar[1](https://www.gadgets360.com/entertainment/illegal-web-series-105612) • [4](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/illegal-justice-out-of-order) |\n| Seasons | Season 1 (2020, 10 episodes), Season 2 (2021, 8 episodes), Season 3 (2024, 8 episodes)[3](https://epilog.tv/show/illegal-justice-out-of-order) |\n| Lead cast | Neha Sharma as Niharika Singh; Piyush Mishra as Janardhan Jaitley[4](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/illegal-justice-out-of-order) |\n| Key crew | Written by Reshu Nath; directed by Sahir Raza (with Ashwini Chaudhary from season 2); produced by Irada Entertainment and Viacom18[1](https://www.gadgets360.com/entertainment/illegal-web-series-105612) • [5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10308632/fullcredits/) |\n| IMDb rating | 6.8/10 from about 27,000 votes[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10308632/ratings/) |\n| Genre | Crime, drama, thriller, courtroom[4](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/illegal-justice-out-of-order) |\n| Age rating | UA16+[4](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/illegal-justice-out-of-order) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Premise\n\nThe series is set in the world of a high-end Delhi law firm where, in the show's own framing, justice is measured against billable hours and the lawyers are seldom on the right side of the law.[4](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/illegal-justice-out-of-order) Niharika Singh, a young lawyer from [Bangalore](https://www.edgepedia.org/bangalore), is hired by Janardhan Jaitley, the owner of a reputed law firm, to work on cases related to sexual harassment and rape, but she soon uncovers information that turns her boss and mentor into her nemesis.[1](https://www.gadgets360.com/entertainment/illegal-web-series-105612) • [7](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2020/May/11/illegal-web-series-review-worthy-premise-middling-treatment-2141664.html) The production company's synopsis describes her as an idealistic young lawyer navigating moral minefields as she uncovers how easily justice can be subverted.[2](https://www.iradaentertainment.com/illegal-justice.html)\n\nSeason 1 centers on two cases: a pro bono death penalty case for a woman, Meher Salaam (Kubbra Sait), a theme the New Indian Express review connects to the 2008 Amroha killings, and a sexual assault case that Niharika is drawn into after publicly outing a sexual predator in the first episode.[7](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2020/May/11/illegal-web-series-review-worthy-premise-middling-treatment-2141664.html) The show also touches on subjects such as the legalization of passive euthanasia in India.[7](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2020/May/11/illegal-web-series-review-worthy-premise-middling-treatment-2141664.html)\n\n### Cast and characters\n\n[Neha Sharma](https://www.edgepedia.org/neha-sharma) plays Niharika Singh, the central lawyer, and [Piyush Mishra](https://www.edgepedia.org/piyush-mishra) plays Janardhan Jaitley, often called JJ, her mentor and antagonist.[4](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/illegal-justice-out-of-order) The supporting cast includes [Akshay Oberoi](https://www.edgepedia.org/akshay-oberoi) as Akshay Jaitley, Satyadeep Misra as Puneet Tandon, Kubbra Sait as Maher Salam, Deepak Tijori as Surya Shekhawat, Kriti Vij as Sue, and Parul Gulati as Devika.[1](https://www.gadgets360.com/entertainment/illegal-web-series-105612) • [3](https://epilog.tv/show/illegal-justice-out-of-order) Kitu Gidwani and Achint Kaur also appear in the series.[2](https://www.iradaentertainment.com/illegal-justice.html) • [3](https://epilog.tv/show/illegal-justice-out-of-order)\n\n## Production and release\n\nThe series was written by Reshu Nath and directed by Sahir Raza, with cinematography by Azeez Siddiqui and music by Nirmal Pandya; it was produced by Irada Entertainment and Viacom18, with [Vikram Bhatt](https://www.edgepedia.org/vikram-bhatt) credited as creative director.[1](https://www.gadgets360.com/entertainment/illegal-web-series-105612) • [2](https://www.iradaentertainment.com/illegal-justice.html) Season 1's ten episodes were released on Voot Select in 2020.[1](https://www.gadgets360.com/entertainment/illegal-web-series-105612) Season 2 (2021) added Ashwini Chaudhary as director and new writers including Advaita Kala, and season 3 (2024) brought further writing changes.[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10308632/fullcredits/) After Voot was folded into JioHotstar, the series became available there.[4](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/illegal-justice-out-of-order)\n\n## Reception\n\nThe first season drew mixed-to-positive reviews. [The Indian Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-indian-express) called it a watchable series whose strength lies in its characters, praising Piyush Mishra's performance as a cold, self-assured Jaitley and noting that its courtroom sequences avoid the theatrical showdowns of older Indian courtroom dramas, while criticizing the shift away from detail in favor of subplots.[8](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/illegal-review-piyush-mishra-neha-sharma-voot-select-6405219/lite/) The New Indian Express rated it 3 out of 5, calling it a worthy premise with middling treatment and finding the execution uneven once the plot filled with twists and double-crossings.[7](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2020/May/11/illegal-web-series-review-worthy-premise-middling-treatment-2141664.html)\n\nAudience ratings tell a different story across seasons. On IMDb the series holds 6.8/10 from about 27,000 votes, but per-episode ratings fell in season 2, averaging 5.8, and rose in season 3, averaging 7.4, with the season 3 episode \"Secrets and Sacrifice\" the highest rated at 8.0.[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10308632/ratings/) • [3](https://epilog.tv/show/illegal-justice-out-of-order)\n\n## Place in Indian legal dramas\n\nIllegal appeared during a period when Indian streaming platforms invested heavily in courtroom and legal dramas. India Today counted it, alongside [Your Honor](https://www.edgepedia.org/your-honor), Criminal Justice, Guilty Minds, and [The Verdict - State vs Nanavati](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-verdict-state-vs-nanavati), among the shows that established the genre on Indian OTT platforms.[9](https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20220530-how-ott-platforms-have-found-a-winner-in-gritty-legal-dramas-1951699-2022-05-19) Reviewers noted that it departed from the melodramatic courtroom tradition of [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema), focusing instead on the maneuvering that happens outside the courtroom.[7](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2020/May/11/illegal-web-series-review-worthy-premise-middling-treatment-2141664.html) • [8](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/illegal-review-piyush-mishra-neha-sharma-voot-select-6405219/lite/)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Illegal - Justice, Out of Order Web Series (2020), Gadgets 360](https://www.gadgets360.com/entertainment/illegal-web-series-105612)\n2. [Illegal - Justice, Out of Order, Irada Entertainment](https://www.iradaentertainment.com/illegal-justice.html)\n3. [Illegal - Justice, Out of Order, epilog.tv](https://epilog.tv/show/illegal-justice-out-of-order)\n4. [Illegal - Justice, Out of Order - streaming online, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/illegal-justice-out-of-order)\n5. [Illegal - Justice, Out of Order - Full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10308632/fullcredits/)\n6. [Illegal - Justice, Out of Order - Ratings, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10308632/ratings/)\n7. ['Illegal' web series review: Worthy premise, middling treatment, The New Indian Express](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2020/May/11/illegal-web-series-review-worthy-premise-middling-treatment-2141664.html)\n8. [Illegal review: Shattering courtroom drama stereotypes, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/illegal-review-piyush-mishra-neha-sharma-voot-select-6405219/lite/)\n9. [How OTT platforms have found a winner in gritty legal dramas, India Today](https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20220530-how-ott-platforms-have-found-a-winner-in-gritty-legal-dramas-1951699-2022-05-19)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Unscripted, reality, and web-native series › Web-native and streaming-original series › Indian and South Asian web series*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/illegal-justice-out-of-order", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/illegal-justice-out-of-order.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Illegal - Justice, Out of Order\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/illegal-justice-out-of-order. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Illegal - Justice, Out of Order](https://www.edgepedia.org/illegal-justice-out-of-order)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/illegal-justice-out-of-order](https://www.edgepedia.org/illegal-justice-out-of-order). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Illegal - Justice, Out of Order\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/illegal-justice-out-of-order. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Illegal - Justice, Out of Order is a Hindi legal drama web series, 2020-2024, three seasons, 26 episodes, starring Neha Sharma and Piyush Mishra, created by Reshu Nath, directed by Sahir Raza, on Voot then JioHotstar." }