Student Name : Het Shah Student ID: 202212097 RESEARCH WORK Movie :- Forensic Genre : Crime Movie, Thriller Movie Directed by : Vishal Furia Release Date : 24 Jun, 2022 Movie Budget : 22 Cr. (Estimated) Rating : IMDB: 6.1/10 Cast: Vikrant Massey , Radhika Apte , Prachi Desai, Narendra Gupta. About Genre Crime:-An action movie whose story is based on crime is known as crime movie. Crime movies are mostly based on the criminal activities done by the people. Thriller:-A thriller is a genre of film that typically uses suspense, tension, and excitement as its key elements. Films of this genre often have a dark or serious tone, and can be either highly emotional or violent. Summary of Movie Welcome to misty Mussoorie, where finding a little girl’s body is just another downpour away. Here’s Johnny Khanna (played over-enthusiastically by Vikrant Massey), a forensic expert who likes to moonwalk into a crime scene and sing nursery rhymes (Johnny, Johnny...) to both corpses and the living alike till they die of cringe. "But he’s the best," says a cop as a prelude to the character’s introduction. Johnny is a wannabe Karamchand who might be better off as Inspector Jacques Clouseau from The Pink Panther. He is reporting to Radhika’s Megha Sharma, the case officer with whom he has a past. The case? Young girls are getting murdered on their birthdays in small-town Mussoorie. The past? They separated. Page 1 Johnny and Megha also share a niece (his brother married her sister), and I did feel like drawing a family tree. There is another way of catching the flavour of the place where the crime occurs. In Bong Joon-Ho’s "Memories of Murder" (2003), South Korea comes alive in its rice paddy fields. "This place is like somebody’s memory of a town, and the memory is fading," ruminates Rust Cohle in HBO’s "True Detective" (2014). Even the 2020 Malayalam original "Forensic," starring Tovino Thomas and Mamta Mohandas, feels at home in its green landscape. The Hindi version, however, is "misplaced." It wants to ride the bandwagon of a scenic mountain thriller, but that’s about it. What do we know about Mussoorie? "This is a small town," says a police officer during office banter. "Even if you buy an undershirt here, the neighbour will get to know its colour." That’s true for all small towns, but I hope not. Forensic poses a lot of doors to open at first, but it only knocks on them and nothing rings a bell.In a scene, Johnny deduces that the killer is not over four to five feet in height. Regular viewers of crime thrillers are always expecting the worst from humanity. The obvious conclusion is that the murderer is a child. "Can it be a dwarf?" asked a cop, and I expected flabbergasted looks. What I got was CCTV footage showing a dwarf sweeper near the crime scene and a wild goose chase through a colony of dwarfs. All this for petty comic relief. Character relationships are conveniently revealed through flashbacks.The Malayalam original aces this. Its characters are defined through traits, and flashbacks are sparse. The Hindi version takes the pulp and leaves the juice behind. In one scene from the original, an eyewitness notices the accused while he is secretly removing a "comrades" flag.This level of detail elevates the scene by providing political context.The eyewitness in the Hindi film "Forensic" is a ragpicker. Towards the end, "Forensic" starts remembering clichés it missed. Johnny and Megha get suspended. The evidence board is set, the coloured threads are out, and the victim polaroids are pinned. A post-it note even reads, "Who is the killer?" By the time the climax comes, I thought, does it even matter? Page 2 Introduction to Forensic Science: Forensic science is the application of scientific principles and techniques to matters of the law. The main goal of forensic science is to use scientific methods to gather evidence that can be used in a court of law. Forensic science covers a wide range of scientific disciplines, including anthropology, biology, chemistry, engineering, medicine, and psychology. Forensic scientists use their knowledge of these disciplines to investigate crimes and to help solve civil legal cases. Forensic science has a long history. One of the first uses of forensic science was in ancient China, where fingerprints were used to identify criminals. The first recorded use of fingerprints in a criminal case in the United States was in 1892. Today, forensic science is used in a variety of ways. Forensic scientists may be called upon to examine crime scenes, to analyze evidence, to testify in court, or to provide expert opinion in civil or criminal cases. Forensic science is an important tool in the fight against crime. It helps to ensure that justice is served and that the innocent are not convicted. History & Development of Forensic Science The first use of science in forensics was in 1835 when French police officer Eugène François Vidocq used anthropometry to identify criminals. In 1839, Alphonse Bertillon, a French police officer, developed the first system of identifying criminals using physical measurements. This system was known as anthropometry and it was the first use of science in forensics. In the early 1900s, forensic science was developed further with the introduction of fingerprinting. Fingerprinting became the standard method of identification in the 1920s. In the 1930s, forensic science was developed further with the introduction of blood typing. Blood typing is still used today to help identify criminals. The first use of DNA in forensics was in 1985 when DNA was used to convict a murderer in the United Kingdom. DNA has since become the most important tool in forensic science. In the United States, the Federal Bureau Page 3 of Investigation (FBI) established the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) in 1998. CODIS is a database of DNA profiles that can be used to match criminals to crime scenes. The history of forensic science is long and complex. The first use of science in forensics was in 1835, but the field has developed significantly since then. Branches of Forensic Science 1. Trace Evidence Analysis: Going by Locard’s Principle that “everything leaves a contact”, trace evidence analysis provides crucial links to the perpetrator. Trace evidence is anything that is transferred during the commitment of a crime such as human/animal hair, rope, soil, fabric fibers, feathers, building materials etc. Trace Evidence Analysis involves the recovery of such evidence and their forensic examination to obtain information that can be used in the court of law in association with a case or to answer any other legal query. 2. Forensic Toxicology: Forensic Toxicology is the study of the presence of toxic substance inside a body and the effect that they had on the individual. It encompasses methods and procedures from various disciplines such as analytical and clinical chemistry, and pharmacology to aid in the medical and legal investigation of death due to poisoning or drugs. This branch of forensic science is of prime importance in road accidents, poisoning, and sexual violence. 3. Forensic Psychology: Forensic Psychology is the application of psychology to legal and criminal matters. Forensic psychologists study criminals and their crimes to draw conclusions about the personality traits of the perpetrators and thus assist in criminal profiling. Criminal profiling involves giving a detailed description of the personality and behavioral traits of the criminal. Forensic psychologists perform multi-faceted tasks some of which are counseling victims of a crime, evaluating child custody, death notification procedures, and evaluation of post-traumatic stress disorder. 4. Forensic Podiatry: Page 4 Forensic Podiatry deals with the application of specific podiatric knowledge i.e. an understanding of the abnormalities and diseases of the ankle, foot, and lower body, and lower limb anatomy, and musculoskeletal function. This is particularly helpful in the investigation of foot-based evidence with respect to a criminal incident. 5. Forensic Pathology: The branch of pathology that deals with the examination of a corpse to determine the cause of death is called Forensic Pathology. It involves the deduction of facts admissible in the court of law by collecting and analyzing medical samples. For example, a forensic pathologist can examine a wound to identify the weapon used to cause that. Therefore, forensic pathology helps draw crucial inferences on whether the death is natural, criminal or accidental. 6. Forensic Odontology: Forensic Odontology/Forensic Dentistry involves the proper handling, analysis, and evaluation of any form of dental evidence that would be later used as a legal evidence in the court of law. Often when the victim’s body is left in an unrecognizable state, it is forensic odontology that helps investigators in identifying them. Forensic dentists play a crucial role in the comparative identification of a person by analyzing the development and anatomy of the teeth including filling or other restorative dental corrections. Criminal investigations comprising bite marks largely involve the discipline of Forensic Odontology. 7. Forensic Linguistics: Forensic Linguistics involves the application of linguistic knowledge and methods to criminal investigations and judicial proceedings. Such linguistic experts are skilled at analyzing the written and spoken language of a perpetrator to draw crucial inferences about the offender’s age, gender, age, education level, culture, ethnicity, socio-economic and geographical background, and for that matter even spiritual and religious beliefs! They are involved in the careful examination of forensic texts such as emergency calls, demands of ransom, suicide notes, social media and death row statements. 8. Forensic Geology: Forensic Geology or Geoforensics deals with the examination of evidence related to materials found in the Earth such as oil, petroleum, minerals, soil, rocks and the Page 5 like. Such examination is associated with the forensic context such as investigations and answering questions put forward by the legal system. Thus, Forensic Geologists analyze earth materials recovered from the incident scene, victim or suspect to strengthen evidence against the suspect, draw inferences about the time and cause of the incident and to obtain other relevant information as a part of the investigation. 9. Forensic Entomology: Forensic Entomology involves the application and study of the biology of insects and other arthropods such as arachnids, centipedes, millipedes, and crustaceans to solve criminal cases. Due to the presence of such organisms in decomposing ruins, forensic entomology is primarily used for death investigations, determination of the location of an incident, postmortem interval and to arrive at the precise time of the infliction of wounds. 10. Forensic Engineering: Never thought that there would be a different branch of forensics altogether for the investigation of products, materials, mechanical components or structures that fail or are unable to function as desired resulting in personal injury or property damage? Well, that is what Forensic Engineering is all about. It involves the application of engineering principles for the investigation and analysis of such mechanical and structural failures. 11. Forensic DNA Analysis: In addition to fingerprints, DNA is the other biological parameter which is unique to a particular individual. DNA profiling is a commonly used forensic technique in criminal investigations for the identification of an anonymous person or to zero in on the perpetrator. The biological evidence used for DNA profiling include hair, skin, semen, urine, blood, saliva and even body remains in burn cases. 12. Forensic Botany: As is evident from its name, Forensic Botany is the study and examination of plant-based evidence (leaves, flowers, wood, fruits, seeds, pollen) for criminal and non-criminal investigations and for answering other legal questions. Though it is still quite under-utilized in forensic investigations, application of botany in criminal investigations have helped investigators in the past to ascertain the Page 6 manner and time of death in certain complex cases. Botanic trace evidence recovered from an incident scene often help in establishing crucial links to the suspect(s). 13. Forensic Archeology: Wonder how geophysical and geological surveying techniques are used in forensics? That’s Forensic Archeology for you! Such techniques along with the use of photography and imaging enable forensic archeologists to assist the police and investigating officers to identify the site where the victim’s body and personal items, or robbed goods are buried. Forensic archeologists are also often leveraged for carrying out excavations or digs at historical and pre-historical sites. Such scientists are adept at using a range of techniques, one being carbon dating, to ascertain the age of items retrieved during an excavation. They often carry out mass excavations to produce evidence for war crimes trials, gas or bomb explosions, plane crashes and the like. 14. Forensic Anthropology: In the course of an incident, bodies are sometimes rendered unrecognizable due to mutilation, burning, natural degradation etc. In such cases, Forensic Anthropology comes into the picture. Forensic anthropologists can examine human bodies/skeletons to help identify the individuals and arrive at the cause of death. They are skilled at determining the age, sex, race, and physique of an individual from the bones or bone fragments. Additionally, they can also determine the manner of death (suicide, accidental or due to disease), as well as if a bone injury retrieved was before, during or after the death. 15. Digital Forensics: Digital Forensics is the current buzzword in the world of forensics. It involves the extraction and analysis of digital evidence (such as those found in computers, hard disks, USB drives etc.) using the most powerful forensic tools. It is mostly used in the investigation of cybercrimes. Digital Forensics is also associated with the criminal law where the digital evidence recovered is used to support or counter a hypothesis in the court of law. 16. Forensic Ballistics: Page 7 Forensic Ballistics involves the analysis of any evidence related to firearms (bullets, bullet marks, shell casings, gunpowder residue etc.). This branch of science is particularly used in the investigation of incidents involving the use of a firearm, to draw inferences on the exact weapon used, the distance, velocity, and angle of firing, and ultimately the shooter himself. Crime Scene Vocabulary Crime Scene : Any physical location in which a crime has occurred or is suspected of having occurred. Primary Crime Scene: The original location of a crime or accident Secondary crime scene: an alternate location where additional evidence may be found. Suspect: a person thought to be capable of committing a crime. Accomplishment: a person who is connected to someone who is suspected of committing a crime. Alibi: statement of where a suspect was at the time of a crime. Type of Evidence Testimonial Evidence includes oral or written statements given to police as well as court testimony by people who witnessed an event. Physical Evidence refers to any material items that would be present at the crime scene, on the victims, or found in a suspect's possession. Trace evidence refers to physical evidence that is found in small but measurable amounts, such as strands of hair, fibers, or skin cells. What will evidence collected at a scene do for the investigation? It may prove that a crime has been committed. Establish a key element of a crime. Link a suspect with a crime scene or a victim. Establish the identity of a victim or suspect. Corroborate verbal witness testimony Exonerate the innocent. Give the detective leads to work with in the case. Page 8 Crime Scene Personnel 1. Police officers are typically the first to arrive at a crime scene. They are in charge of securing the scene so that no evidence is destroyed and of apprehending persons of interest in the crime. 2. The CSI Unit documents the crime scene in detail and collects any physical evidence. 3. The District Attorney is frequently present to assist in determining whether search warrants are required and obtaining those warrants from a judge. 4. The medical examiner may or may not be present to determine a preliminary cause of death. 5. Spectators may be called in if the evidence requires expert analysis. 6. Detectives interview witnesses and consult with the CSI unit. They investigate the crime by following leads provided by witnesses and physical evidence. Crime Scene Protocol Step 1 : Interview The first step in investigating a crime scene is to interview the first officer on the scene or the victim to determine what allegedly happened, what crime took place, and how the crime was committed. This information may not be factual, but it will give the investigators a place to start. Step 2 : Examine The second step in the investigation of a crime scene is to identify possible evidence, identify the point of entry and point of exit, and outline the general layout of the crime scene. Step 3 : Document The third step in the protocol involves creating a pictorial record of the scene as well as a rough sketch to demonstrate the layout of the crime scene and to identify the exact position of the deceased victim or other evidence within the crime scene. Step 4 : Process Page 9 This is the last step in the protocol. The crime scene technician will process the crime scene for evidence, both physical and testimonial evidence. It is the crime scene technician's responsibility to identify, evaluate, and collect physical evidence from the crime scene for further analysis by a crime laboratory. Securing the Crime Scene The first officers to respond are responsible for securing the scene. Victims who exhibit signs of a life-threatening emergency are summoned. The deceased victims ate and then left it alone. Rigor mortis indicates the time of death. Lividity (discoloration of skin after death) changes with movement. Forensic DNA Phenotyping DNA phenotyping can be used to generate a physical description of a person, including hair and eye color, skin color, and facial features. DNA phenotyping can also be used to predict other characteristics, such as height, weight, and ethnicity. DNA phenotyping is a relatively new technology, and its accuracy is still being determined. In some cases, DNA phenotyping has been used to identify individuals who have been involved in crimes. However, it is not yet clear how accurate DNA phenotyping is in predicting physical appearance. It is not currently admissible in court, but that could change in the future. In this movie, a forensic officer solves this case using FDP technology. There are seven central forensic laboratories in India, at Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chandigarh, New Delhi, Guwahati, Bhopal and Pune. CFSL Hyderabad is a centre of excellence in chemical sciences, CFSL Kolkata (the oldest laboratory in India) in biological sciences and CFSL Chandigarh in physical sciences. Page 10