Top Hindi legal thrillers that explore complexities of justice

Movies can sometimes influence social movements, shape public opinion, and address critical issues like systemic injustice and gender inequality. A direct and hard-hitting narrative, or even a subtle yet impactful message can create a thought-provoking mainstream film. Here is a curated list of six such compelling legal dramas from Hindi cinema that address the grey areas of justice, morality, and the dilemmas challenging society’s perception of right and wrong.


Jolly LLB: This courtroom drama centered around Advocate Jagdish Tyagi (also known as Jolly),  reveals the many challenges including systemic corruption that obstruct his way when a PIL against a wealthy young man, Rahul Dewan is filed. Arshad Warsi portrays Jolly, while Boman Irani plays Advocate Tejinder Rajpal, the defence lawyer with an unbeatable record. Ultimately,  this battle between power and truth constitutes the essence of this movie. Directed by Subhash Kapoor and produced by Fox Star Studios, 'Jolly LLB' is available on Disney+ Hotstar.

Section 375: The central characters of Section 375 are rival lawyers Tarun Saluja (Akshaye Khanna) and Hiral Gandhi (Richa Chadda). Tarun does not like to get emotionally involved in a case or engage in ethical debates, while Hiral is passionate about truth and justice. As the two spar over the issue of consent in a rape case, unexpected developments force them to review their stand.  The script by Manish Gupta is highly praised for its gritty dialogues and narrative style. Director Ajay Bahl co-scripted the film which was produced by Kumar Mangat Pathak and Abhishek Pathak and distributed by Anand Pandit. 'Section 375' is streaming on Prime Video.

 
Court: Written and directed by Chaitanya Tamhane, ‘Court’ is a highly acclaimed legal drama that examines the Indian legal system through the trial of an ageing activist.  Narayan Kamble is arrested after one of his folk songs is alleged to have encouraged a manhole worker to commit suicide. As the line between justice and injustice blurs, the hapless Kamble stares at an uncertain future. Vira Sathidar, Geetanjali Kulkarni, Pradeep Joshi and Shirish Pawar star in the film which was praised in the festival circuit and is now deemed as a modern classic. Produced by Zoo Entertainment Pvt Ltd and distributed by Zeitgeist Films, ‘Court’ is available for streaming on Netflix.

 
Pink: A riveting courtroom drama that also addresses societal issues like consent, gender bias, and societal stereotypes, ‘Pink’ narrates how a horrific incident changes the lives of three women when they clash with a group of influential men. When retired lawyer Deepak Sehgal takes on this case, he highlights society’s double standards regarding freedom and a woman's right to say 'No'.  With excellent performances by Amitabh Bachchan and Taapsee Pannu, the film was a box-office hit. Directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury,  and produced by Ronnie Lahiri, Rashmi Sharma, and Sheel Kumar, 'Pink' is streaming on Prime Video.

 
Shahid: This powerful biographical film based on the life of lawyer and human rights activist Shahid Azmi reveals some stark realities about society in contemporary India, its media, and its judiciary. It follows the life and work of Azmi who paid a heavy price for his idealism. Directed by Hansal Mehta and written by Sameer Gautam Singh, the movie is jointly produced by Anurag Kashyap and Sunil Bohra. The stellar performance by Rajkummar Rao in the titular role was heavily praised. The film also premiered to great acclaim at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival. Also starring Tigmanshu Dhulia, Kay Kay Menon, Prabhleen Sandhu, and Prabal Panjabi, ‘Shahid’ is streaming on Prime Video.

By Shilpa Patil

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