Court - A Film Review

This review may contain spoilers

The “courtroom drama” genre in the mainstream cinema usually has certain standard elements: a case with clear distinctions between right and wrong that involves a victim we sympathise with and a perpetrator we despise; the warring, behemoth-like lawyers in black capes going back and forth theatrically, throwing around legal jargon in chaste Urdu; the wisecracking witness often used for comic relief, and sometimes to offer vital testimony that can change the course of the case; and, finally, the formidable old judge who gently strikes the gavel to restore order in the court when matters get chaotic and performs the all-important task of pronouncing the verdict. All this, almost always happens in higher courts irrespective of the nature of the crime.

In the end the audience is both elated and relived that justice has prevailed, with the villain receiving his deserved comeuppance. They say that fiction is life with the boring bits cut out and that it what is served here.

Despite being a courtroom drama, Court systematically breaks all the norms of its genre as it depicts the case of a sociopolitical activist accused of abetting the suicide of a municipal worker. The premise is the chaotic and perpetually buzzing lower court of Mumbai, the evidence presented is often arbitrary and inconclusive, at times witnesses fail to turn up or are paid by interested parties and testimony provided may not be always fact-based. The police conduct their searches without a warrant, and occasionally forget to document statements from witnesses that are vital to the case. Some of the laws are archaic and irrelevant but are still applied when the prosecution runs out of ideas. There is an overall attitude of nonchalance and apathy towards the accused despite the absurdity and insubstantial premise of the alleged crime. The result being that the case is interminable, and the accused finds himself trapped in a Kafkaesque maze with no easy escape.

Beyond the courtroom we are given a glimpse of the lives of every participants in the case. Away from their ostensibly formidable black and white robes, these lawyers and the judges are no different from actors sans costume and a script. They come from different strata of the society, both economically and socially. While one shops for expensive wine and dines at fine restaurants, the other cannot afford to cook family meals in the ‘good for health’ olive oil. For one, the case is merely a stepping stone towards achieving a promotion and a higher salary; for other it’s about morality and the need to protect rights of the persecuted and defenseless. While their profession as practitioners of the law demands that they deal in facts and believe in science, in their personal lives they prescribe superstitious and unscientific solutions for medical problems and spout commonly held misperceptions without any scruples. When it is time for ‘family entertainment’ their choice is a play that both crude and blatantly regressive.

Despite their questionable morals and clear ineptitude in conducting their own lives they find themselves in the precarious position of deciding the future of the lives of others. Yet these are not villains with agendas to destroy the accused, instead they are merely parts of our legal system each doing their job to the best of their abilities. They are a product of our society and we must all take blame for what we have become.

We are told very little about the accused, making it impossible to pass a clear verdict on his morality, but he comes across as an honest man who remains steadfast even as an obsolete and incongruous system gradually infringes upon his basic right of freedom.

The chief virtue of this film is its depiction of the seemingly ordinary with such minute attention to detail. The induced documentary style and an effective usage of sounds of the city – people, cars, random noise – instead of a dramatic background score add to the element of realism. The lack of any trained actors or recognizable faces is also a huge advantage: there is no ‘acting’, no measured tone and no ‘dialogue delivery’; instead, the characters appear to be regular people dealing with real situations. Most scenes linger moments beyond their necessary length as they provide a glimpse of matters beyond the case in focus this add to the realism. The cinematography and art direction effectively create an ambiance of bleakness.

The primary of source of realism is ably written script. The situations are those that we can relate to and the words that emanate from the characters are similar to those we have heard from people around us. The script effectively employs a satirical tone to deliver heavy doses of social commentary. We see the absolute absurdity and paradoxes in and beyond the courtroom which is as sad as it is funny. Thus it shows us the mirror without forcibly pontificating message of morality down our throats. The script also succeeds in raising serious questions about the nature of freedom of expression in our country and how the laws can be used to stifle this very basic right instead of defending it. There are moments in the film that may seem inconsequential or accidental. But make no mistake: there are many subtle themes and motifs may be discovered upon perhaps upon multiple viewing.

On the 23^rd September, Chaitanya Tamhane’s debut film Court was selected as India’s official entry to the Best Foreign Language category of the 2016 Academy Awards. So will Court win or even make it to the final shortlist at the Oscars? The eminence of the film is just not enough, what is needed is aggressive promotion, including screenings for critics and potential Academy voters. This requires considerable amount of money: if the film manages to bag the backing of a major studio, things would become easier. There is also the question about whether the Academy Awards represent the best in world cinema. But that is a topic for another time. For now, it should be a matter of great pride for all of us that a film of such brilliance will represent us on a global stage.