A legal drama, or a courtroom drama, is a genre of film and television that generally focuses on narratives regarding legal practice and the justice system. Courtroom dramas are an immensely popular genre in general, and more so for law students and professionals. Although depictions of the courtroom in Indian cinema are seldom grounded in reality, the entertainment factor coupled with a resounding script and good acting is perhaps what captivates the audience in such movies.
In this article, Team YLCC brings you 10 Indian Courtroom Dramas that deserve at least a one-time watch. Read on!
1. Jai Bhim (2021)
When it comes to courtroom dramas, Jai Bhim is an all-time masterpiece. Despite an OTT release in late 2021, the movie quickly became a resounding success, earning itself rave reviews from the audience and critics alike. It is currently the highest rated IMDB movie at 9.5 points, surpassing the iconic ‘The Godfather’ and ‘Shawshank Redemption’.
With a unique central theme of police brutality and corruption, the movie is powered by a superlative performance from Tamil actor Surya who plays the character of Chandru, a rebellious, young advocate, wielding the powerful weapon of the law. He takes up the case of a tribal woman, Senganni, whose husband Rajakannu’s whereabouts are unknown since he was taken away by the local cops on charges of theft.
2. Mulk (2018)
Mulk effectively deals with powerful themes such as terrorism and Islamophobia in contemporary times and the collateral damage it leaves behind in its wake. The story features one Murad Ali Mohammed, a lawyer by profession, whose peaceful life with his family in Varanasi comes crashing down when his nephew joins a terrorist group and the entire family is labelled as terrorists.
Anubhav Sinha, the director, masterfully portrays that even 71 years after Independence, communal tensions and prejudices have not quite left India; they have reared their heads in more ominous ways.
3. Batti Gul Meter Chalu (2018)
Dealing with a very novel theme of corruption in electricity departments and private electricity suppliers. Despite its overdramatic approach on the local Uttarakhand dialect, the courtroom scenes featuring Shahid Kapoor and Yami Gautam highlight the plight of many Indians who are still still deprived of one of the basic necessities in life.
4. Jolly LLB 2 (2017)
Known for its impactful courtroom drama, this film starring Akshay Kumar does exceedingly well as the second in the Jolly LLB franchise.
The movie tries to balance its central theme of fake encounters with certain bits of satire and melodrama that sometimes hampers the screenplay but maintains the pace of the film and keeps the audience guessing. In addition, large chunks of the film remind the viewer of those legal satire shows where the judicial system looks like a big, dark joke.
5. Rustom (2016)
This movie was based on the real life landmark case of K.M. Nanavati v. State of Maharashtra and traces the story of a naval officer charged with the murder of the man his wife had an extra-marital affair with. Notably, this case also led to the abolishing of the jury system in India. With stellar performances from actors like Akshay Kumar, Esha Gupta and Ileana D’ Cruz, Rustom became one of the highest-grossing Indian movies and also earned Akshay Kumar his first National Award.
6. Pink (2016)
Winning more than 12 awards post its release, including the National Award for Best Film On Social Issues, Pink is one of the leading courtroom dramas in recent times. The movie is a powerful indictment of all the vices associated with women in our male-dominated Indian society.
Excelling in his character as a senior lawyer, Amitabh Bachhan emphasizes on the danger of assumptions, and the importance of a woman’s consent (The dialogue ‘No Means No’ became iconic). In more ways than one, this film is an attempt to abolish the thinking of men who have a sick idea of judging women and assuming sexual intentions if they only act friendly .
7. Court (2014)
In this underrated film, a social activist who uses folk music to spread his message is arrested, accused of inciting a sewage worker’s suicide. Lawyers from both sides of the aisle, and the rote ideologies they represent, are scrutinized as the trial plays out.
Despite no big names, the film has been widely appreciated for its subtlety and overall impact. “Court” ends up being a great courtroom drama: it treats the audience as both witness and jury and lays out a sprawling argument for them to ponder over.
8. Shahid (2013)
This movie is a brilliant biopic of the murdered criminal lawyer Shahid Azmi. Azmi was killed in his Mumbai office in 2010 after having famously represented lower middle-class Muslim men indiscriminately picked up and implicated by the police and justice establishment in solving cases involving terrorism and communal violence. These men were without help and money and Azmi often worked for free, with pragmatism and guts. The movie traces his social contributions and personal hardships that all end in one massive tragedy. Rajjkumar Rao’s masterful portrayal of the man earned him valuable appreciation from critics. Sadly enough, Shahid remains criminally underrated for the wider audiences.
9. Oh My God (2012)
In this movie, an atheist man decides to sue god after his antique shop gets destroyed by an earthquake. This movie has a great storyline and it changes your perception of looking at things. It conveys a serious message and renders you emotional to no end.
10. Shaurya (2008)
A remake of Tom Cruise’s courtroom drama A Few Good Men, Shaurya is an underrated gem that features Rahul Bose and Kay Kay Menon, among others. The story begins with an army officer charged with killing his senior, who is also a decorated officer in the army. While everyone believes it to be an open-and-shut case, a care-free army lawyer thinks that there’s more to it and that the officer may be innocent. So, he takes up the investigation to uncover the truth and, in the process, rediscovers himself.
YLCC would like to thank Sachet Labroo for his valuable inputs in this article.
