It’s about the farcical trial of a Left-wing folk singer accused of instigating a sewage worker to commit suicide in a manhole. India’s official entry for Oscars 2016, a Marathi movie called Court, has earned acclaim for its insightful portrayal of the Indian legal culture. It’s a rivetting story even as it focused on banality rather than the usual fare of dramatic situations and stirring dialogues. In a matter-of-fact tone, the movie brings out the quirks of the judge, prosecutor, defence counsel and the accused person, not only in the court premises but in their personal lives too.
December 2015, volume 39, No 12