Instructor: Dr.

Vanessa Chishti
Thematic Response Paper
29 October 2018

Court: A self portrait of Indian society.

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“Without any reason or basis,
untouchability has been created
as a result of caste. It is foolish
to think of abolishing
untouchability, in the face of the
continuance of caste.”
- Periyar Ramasamy.

“Court is the best representation of a court room drama so far in India, minus its heightened
dramatic nature.”, says a reporter from the online movie critic, koimoi.com, which reviews
Bollywood films, for a living.

I agree with this analysis, and would like to add, that the review is justified, and is completely
deserving of the entry that it got to the Oscars1. It is one of the most complex movies of our
time, depicting the social climate in 21st century India, where casteism, and classism is still
very prevalent. It also highlights how the Indian Judiciary functions, and the biases that Indian
judges have towards certain arguments, and how any effort to interpret a law differently in
lower courts, is rejected emphatically on the basis of it being a black letter law.

Court begins with the presenting of a function taking place in a slum colony, where the most
reasonable form of entertainment, is folk music, relating to local culture. The singers would
talk about the pride they have on their regional belonging. The protagonist, Narayan Kamble,
is an effervescent 65 year-old folk singer, who allegedly, incites the Dalits to revolt against the
government in the forms of odes, and ballads.

IANS. “Court Is Indias Entry for Oscars.” The Pioneer, The Pioneer, 23 Sept. 2015, www.dailypioneer.com/2015/top-
stories/court-is-indias-entry-for-oscars.html.

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The film shows confrontation between different sections of society, and their interaction in
daily life. The defence lawyer, who hails from a relatively higher caste Gujarati family, is
shown as well off, and educated, from the background that the movie depicts, (shopping in
expensive marts, owning a car, and affording to go to a seemingly expensive bar, as well as
affording a co-counsel, and wearing a Rolex, which would cost a sizeable amount), and the
prosecutor, (who travels via train, cannot afford olive oil, has to reduce on oil consumption,
and other such luxuries because of her sick husband, who, I’m assuming would be required to
take expensive drugs.) in the court, where their personal differences are set aside, and the
seemingly innocent prosecutor takes the role of a villain, who tries Narayan Kamble on various
charges, and attempts to prove her case, as such.

It also shows the background of the judge, a middle class magistrate in a sessions court in Peeth
Chowk, a small area near Andheri, where the Sitladevi temple resides. Not to mention the case
of Vasudev Pawar, a manhole worker, who is charged very little for his services, and is given
a spade and a rod, and is told to look for cockroaches, to find oxygen in the manhole, which is
a blatant violation of human rights, and is against humanitarian law across the world. The
reason that the prosecution provides for his death? Suicide, for listening to a song sung by a
folk singer who used to associate himself with a Dalit party, and sang about suicide, which is
still not established in the case, via any means.

This movie showcases the caste based hierarchy that is present in India, where the traditional
system of cast has been wiped out, but the modern system, where oppression takes place on a
class basis. Dalits are given the menial jobs, that other members of the caste system may not
do otherwise. The Brahmins, in this system are pretty well accommodated, and are well off, as
are the Vaishyas, who are known as the baniya class in various parts of India. Brahmins are
easily accepted into high post in the government, and Vaishyas are proficient in conducting
business. Chaitanya Tamhane, tries to show this system by way of audiovisual media that the
public would accept as a work of fiction, but via George Bernard Shaw’s sugarcoated pill
method, gets across to the public the message on this invisible caste politics that happens in
India, especially, in the way of the Judiciary, where any member of a lower caste is set up as a
patsy to take the fall, for any crimes committed by others, or in this case, suicide.

The prosecution alleges this, and books Narayan Kamble under Section 306 and 309 of the
IPC, which punishes a man who abets the suicide of any person belonging to society. He is

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also warned that any performances like such, should be vetted by the concerned censor board,
and then be presented, however, this never happens. Here, there is an interesting irony in the
fact that Narayan Kamble’s performance, which mentioned no caste, creed, sex, or place of
origin was decided to be seditious, and harmful in nature, while the play that our beloved
prosecutor attended, not only harmed to sentiments of people from UP, but also gave statements
about the proverbial,”Marathi Manoos” (Marathi man), who would go to huge lengths
to remove the immigrants. This statement is not only seditious, but, by the prosecution’s
arguments, be a threat to society. However, the common sense existing in Maharashtra at the
time allowed such statements, while rejecting a simple folk song sung by Narayan Kamble.

According to Tamhane, Court not expressly about the judicial system, but about the structural
and human failings in any institution, or any place with power dynamics.2 Court was a project
that took over two years to make, and had to make do with non-professional actors, who
brought to life the role that they were give, perfectly. Also, the wide angle shots, and long
duration takes provide a surrealistic experience to the movie, by providing Mumbai as the
social context in which the film is set. The most memorable of these would be the long take of
the courtroom in the end of the film, which conveys the message of the final darkness,
signifying the darkness that Narayan Kamble’s case would be facing over the time that he has
left.

Court is moving, terrifying, gripping and intense. It would easily fall into the ranks of legendary
movies, that depict society at the time in near entirety. It made me feel for every character,
from the prosecutor, to Vasudev Pawar, who died in oblivion. Ironic, for there was no one to
care about him, except for the very system that killed him. As a first timer, with very little
experience, I believe that Tamhane has approached the higher echelons of the movie industry.
It brings a sensitivity to Indian cinema, seen in very few, and implemented by fewer. Chaitanya
Tamhane is one of such kind, who is can reach the highest echelon of Bollywood, discarding
the stereotypical dance number, and bringing in serious content, on the workings of the society,
that is India.

2
“Judgement Day for Court.” Verve Magazine, 18 Apr. 2015, www.vervemagazine.in/arts-and-culture/court-movie-
chaitanya-tamhane.

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