Movies about courtrooms are typically full of suspense, legal wrangling and that scene where we all jump in the air when one word in the courtroom changes the whole case. Kissa Court Kachehari Ka comes with the same promise, an unidentified death, two attorneys squaring it out, and a court case based on small town reality. On paper, such an arrangement appealed to me as truly interesting. The movie tells the story of Mishra ji, a lawyer who is now motivated to find out the truth behind the mysterious death of a rickshaw driver who used to be related to him.
In the courtroom, the case sparks off some deeper questions of justice, influence, and truth. Alas, with a premise this promising and such reliable players as Rajesh Sharma and Brijendra Kala, the movie fails to fully realize the potential of this concept into the thrilling courtroom drama that it should be.
Mishra ji, a lawyer, who comes back to Meerut after the wedding of his sister in law opens the story. Just when he is relaxing into his routine, he is shaken by some alarming news. One of the rickshaw drivers, who used to work under him, has died.
Initially, the event appears to be a normal road accident. However, very soon the situation starts to appear suspicious. What seems to be a simple accident gradually becomes something more sinister. Mishra ji finds out that it was no mere road accident but a planned murder.
This finding is disturbing to him. Instead of ignoring the incident, he decides to dig deeper into the circumstances surrounding the death. When he starts investigating the case slowly transforms to be a legal battle and finally finds itself in a courtroom.
The other lawyer on the other side of the case is played by Brijendra Kala. He justifies the accused and confronts Mishra ji. Here, the movie tries to create suspense over the main enigma. Who killed the driver, why was he killed and how will the facts finally come out in court.
The story is said to be based on an actual event that occurred in Meerut. The case revolves around an auto driver called Deepak whose death becomes the centre of the case.
The movie attempts to address a number of social issues through this case. It raises the issues of hit and run, the intricacies of the justice system and the unpleasant truth that money and influence do influence the course of justice. I also made out a faint attempt to bring out the necessity of fast track courts and quicker justice to the common people.
These themes certainly had the potential to make the film powerful. A courtroom drama is already so involving when it employs real life problems to provide emotional and moral conflict. Alas! That possibility is not yet realized to any great extent.
One of the initial impressions I had when watching the film was the very crude level of production. The sets, locations, and general appearance are very mediocre. At times it almost feels as though the film was made with very limited resources.
Although the small budget does not necessarily imply a bad movie, good writing and taut direction is normally required to cover the low budget. It was unfortunate that I did not experience that balance here. The simplicity of the visuals used in the film results in the whole experience being somewhat two-dimensional.
Both Rajesh Sharma and Brijendra Kala are good actors. I have previously witnessed them giving memorable performances in a number of movies. This is the reason why I anticipated them to add some intensity to this courtroom drama.
But their acts are surprisingly pedestrian here. Rajesh Sharma gives his role as Mishra ji with a good heart, but the emotionality in which the role demands never really comes to life. Brijendra Kala, too, seems to be kept in check in his role of the opposing lawyer. I did not see a legal battle-match between two personalities strong in character, but a very ordinary exchange of arguments.
The supporting cast too is kept very average. There is no specific performance that is outstanding and can contribute a lot of emotional content to the story.
In the first half, I was hoping that the film could gain momentum later. The initial parts tell the case and give a clue of a more mysterious death of the driver. These opening lines led me to think that the narrative would lead to a dramatic courtroom conflict.
However, sadly, such a spark does not come.
The second half is sweeping with courtroom scenes which should have been the best of the film. Courtroom stories rely on great oratory, incisive prose and dramatic unravellings that gradually reveal the reality.
The courtroom scenes in this situation are surprisingly mundane. The conversations are mostly basic narrative devices that drive the story along. They are of little dramatic effect or emotion. I was waiting to see a point in the case where it would have taken a twist or where a convincing point would change the story entirely, but these points never come.
The other problem I observed was the execution of the crime. Despite the fact that the movie implies that the incident may have occurred in real life, there are aspects of the case that have some logical concerns.
Certain elements of the murder and investigation seem to be underdeveloped. These questions are not always answered clearly in the screenplay and this undermines the overall credibility of the story. Such gaps are hard to overlook in a courtroom drama, where the use of logic and evidence is the main focus of the story.
Among positive things I can mention I can state that the film is absolutely clean and family friendly. No crass scenes or needless distractions. It is the type of movie which can be seen with comfort with the relatives.
Nevertheless, it does not make a film interesting due to its cleanliness. A trial story requires a good writer, high stakes, and quotable arguments. Regrettably, this movie is not able to reach such kind of excitement.
The two-hour run time also starts to feel longer than it is supposed to be since the story does not build the tension that one would expect in this type of story. The narrative flows in a linear manner and ultimately, it ends without a powerful or satisfying resolution.
In my case, Kissa Court Kachehari Ka ended up being a film with a great idea but a very poor implementation. The fact that the mysterious death in the premise occurred, and resulted in a courtroom fight, could have made the premise a compelling drama. Sadly, the simplistic production, standard acting, and absence of drama make the movie not have a powerful impact.
Personally, I will recommend that you save your money and do not watch it in theatres. In case one is still curious about the story, then maybe it would be a good idea to wait till it is released on OTT.
My rating, 1.5 out of 5 stars. For me, it stays an average courtroom drama that never rises above its basic premise.
Rating: 1.5/5 . Personally, I find it an average courtroom drama that does not transcend its underlying premise.
