The cast of the compelling legal drama, 'Court – State vs. A Nobody'.
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It’s Mother’s Day, and spoiling the special woman in your life takes centre stage.
However, once the celebrations wind down, I would suggest some downtime on the couch, watching “Court – State vs. A Nobody” on Netflix.
It’s a powerful underdog courtroom drama, centred on family, a mother’s unconditional love, and justice, underpinned by a love story.
Unpacking powerful themes of misogyny, corruption, poverty, and politics, this Telugu movie is presented with English subtitles.
Written and directed by Ram Jagadeesh, who makes his filmmaking debut, the film follows Mettu “Chandu” Chandrasekhar (Harsh Roshan).
Chandu's life is upended when the family of his 17-year-old love interest, Meruvalli Jabilli (Sridevi), falsely accuse him of statutory rape, leading to legal repercussions.
With his fate almost sealed, his friends plead with Surja Teja (Priyadarshi Pulikonda), a junior lawyer working under the legendary Mohan Roa (P. Sai Kumar), to help.
To gain his mentor's approval, Surja accepts a case, but he soon discovers that the evidence incriminating Chandu is false. The elaborate corruption, he learns, is orchestrated by Jabilli’s powerful politician uncle, Mangapathi (Sivaji).
Chandu's parents, played by Surabhi Prabhavathi and Rajasekhar Aningi, appeal to Mangapathi to withdraw the charges against their son. Despite knowing Chandu is innocent and a victim of a setup, their lower social standing leaves them unable to contest the community leader's accusations.
Since they live in a close-knit community, word of Chandu’s arrest gets around.
Mangapathi's efforts to bribe Surja into losing the case are unsuccessful, leading him to use incriminating evidence that makes Surja doubt his client's honesty.
The script is wonderfully written with plenty of thought-provoking situations that amplify the dramatic tension. The casting is also spot-on with the actors sublimely executing that roles, covering a wide gamut of emotions.
“Court – State vs. A Nobody” tugs at the heart with its raw storytelling and, despite the overwhelming hopelessness, leaves streamers invested in the underdog's fate.
- Rating: 4/5 **** a standout film with exceptional qualities.