LIFF 2015 Movie Review: ‘Court’

The London Indian Film Festival 2015 brought to the screens a film called ‘Court’ which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival last year. In India the film saw it’s official release in April 2015 but it’s achieved and garnered much praise along the way through film festivals.��The film, which is directed by��Chaitanya Tamhane, also won the National Award for Best Feature Film at the 62nd National Film Awards.

‘Court’ is a typical courtroom drama, as the name suggests. However, when going into the film having read the synopsis, what it becomes as the story and courtroom dramas unfold is something quite extraordinary. The primary case that is followed is one where a folk singer is being blamed for the suicide of a man who works in the sewers. It looks into the injustices along the way from the lawyers fighting the case right the way through to the judges and also the witnesses.

The film, although on paper appearing serious, is actually extremely light-hearted and funny in places. With an absolutely perfect ensemble cast including��Vira Sathidar and��Vivek Gomber to name a few, the film really comes into its own through it’s brilliantly and carefully etched characters and the way they interact with those around them.

Tamhane is a first time director and at under 30, she’s perhaps one of the most promising in recent times and this comes through in this film. The vision outlines the outright impossible and ancient rules that are a part of the Indian justice system. Viewers get sucked into the comic moments as well as the characters which are so real that the film wouldn’t have seen the same kind of impact without.

Overall, the film is a very real and hard-hitting yet life-like account of the Indian justice system which is a pleasure to see unfold on screen.

BizAsia Showbiz Rating: 4/5