Indian films on courtroom drama are a popular choice among moviegoers. Every courtroom drama film features heated debates and narratives with twists and turns, as well as courtroom ethics.
Few filmmakers have succeeded in creating films with narratives based on true stories and adding high-intensity drama, twists and turns, and the proper grip to hold the audience's attention. Apart from the plot, the casting of these types of films also plays a very important role, as does the accurate portrayal of roles on screen in order to capture the audience's attention through emotion and dialogue delivery.
Here's a list of films that should be on your watchlist if you're looking for the best courtroom dramas.
1. Jai Bhim
Jai Bhim, a 2021 Indian courtroom drama film, was directed by T. J. Gnanavel. The film explores police brutality and state aggression against a marginalised group. It is based on a genuine incident that occurred in 1995 and involves a case that Justice K. Chandru argued. Sengeni (Lijomol Jose) and Rajakannu (Manikandan), a couple from the Irular tribe, are at the centre of the story. Rajakannu was apprehended by the cops and then went away from the station. Sengeni enlists the assistance of a lawyer, Chandru (Suriya), to seek justice for her husband. Suriya's stunning monologue towards the end of the film, when he presents his closing argument for the case in court, has to be one of the most memorable moments.
It is available on Prime Video for you to watch.
2. Rustom
Rustom is a 2016 Indian Hindi-language crime thriller film directed by Tinu Suresh Desai and written by Vipul K Rawal. The incident involving Naval Officer K.M. Nanavati and industrialist Prem Ahuja is based on a true story. The film stars Akshay Kumar as Rustom, who confesses to killing Arjan Bajwa's character, Vikram Makhija, and then defends himself in front of a jury to prove his innocence. The film is held together by Kumar's courtroom arguments and the twists and turns. The film also stars Ileana D'Cruz and Esha Gupta.
It is available on Zee5 for you to watch.
3. Pink
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Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury directed the 2016 courtroom drama Pink. Miss Arora, played by Taapsee Pannu, is on trial in a courtroom and is defended by a lawyer, played by Amitabh Bachchan. When she and her two friends(Kriti Kulhari and Andrea Tariang) are falsely accused of a crime they did not commit, the women seek legal assistance, which allows them to clear their reputations. While the film empowers the voices of many women, it also challenges limiting ideas of "the ideal woman."
It is available on Disney + Hotstar for you to watch.
4. Jolly LLB
Subhash Kapoor wrote and directed Jolly LLB, a 2013 Indian Hindi-language black comedy film. The events of the Sanjeev Nanda hit-and-run case in 1999 inspired the story. The story revolves around lawyer Jagdish Tyagi, alias Jolly, who takes on a case to help six innocent wage labourers receive justice, as well as his struggle against monopolistic behaviour by the wealthy and judicial corruption. Arshad Warsi plays Advocate Jagdish Tyagi, a.k.a. "Jolly," and Advocate Tejinder Rajpal is played by Boman Irani. The film includes both humorous and serious courtroom sequences.
It is available on Disney + Hotstar for you to watch.
Suggested Reading: Five Hindi Films Based On Real Crime Cases To Add To Your Watchlist
5. Shahid
Shahid is a biographical drama film directed by Hansal Mehta and written by Sameer Gautam Singh that was released in India in 2013. A lawyer who has spent his life assisting victims unfairly accused of terrorism now finds himself in the same situation. When the narrative starts investigating Shahid's (Rajkumar Rao) thoughts, the film really gets interesting. As the physical action calms and Shahid begins practising law, the film gives glimpses into the his mental process set against a backdrop of excellent courtroom drama.
It is available on Prime Video for you to watch.
6. OMG – Oh My God!
Umesh Shukla wrote and directed OMG – Oh My God!, a 2012 Indian Hindi language satirical comedy-drama film. The film follows Paresh Rawal's character, Kanji Lalji Mehta, whose shop is devastated by an earthquake. When his insurance claim is denied because the disaster claim does not cover any damage caused by natural calamities that are defined as "Acts of God," Kanji decides to sue God.
Then Akshay Kumar's character, Krishna Vasudev Yadav, enters Kanji's life. With Krishna's guidance and the assistance of a lawyer, Hanif Qureshi (Om Puri), Kanji takes the country by storm, filing various petitions on behalf of those who have been victims of "Acts of God." The courtroom drama makes the film more interesting.
It is available on Prime Video as well as Netflix for you to watch.
7. No One Killed Jessica
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No One Killed Jessica, Raj Kumar Gupta directed and wrote the 2011 Indian Hindi-language crime thriller film. It stars Rani Mukerji as a news reporter, Meera Gaity, and Vidya Balan as Jessica's sister Sabrina. The story follows a bartender who is killed after being shot by a politician's son, and her sister's quest for justice. The police have been summoned by the High Court for their actions in the case. The police file a request for the case to be reopened with the High Court, which is granted. The matter is taken to the Supreme Court, where courtroom drama ensues and the guilty are condemned to life in jail.
It is available on Netflix for you to watch.
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