Why you should watch Court from Chaitanya Tamhane?

On the sidelines of Disciple's release on Netflix, it is important to visit, Chaitanya Tamhane's debut film, Court. Why I say it? Because Court brings in a new perspective to film making which has been something novel to me and not seen in a long time at least in Indian Film Industry. And before you watch Disciple, Court remains an essential viewing, to set the context. What sets Court apart? First, the narration; which are episodic and is based on sudden cuts which when passes away makes the viewers connect to the earlier scenes. Court revolves around three main characters and four if you include the protagonist; who coincidentally has been a watermark to the proceedings with the three leads forming the crux of the conversation around him. The plot revolves around Narayan Kamble (a teacher and protest singer whose alleged provocative songs has forced a manual scavenger to commit suicide).

The rest of the film revolves around the court proceedings where the police have arrested him for abetment of suicide. He is defended by a successful lawyer Vinay Vora (a fantastic Vivek Gomber, who also is the producer of the film) and the public prosecutor, Nutan (Geetanjali Kulkarni) in the court of Judge Sadavarte (Pradeep Joshi). The three characters form the core of the film and with occasional presence of Narayan Kamble as the accused on the stand. He did have two brilliant songs to lip sync to. Narayan's character remains affable and has zero tolerance for anything which the court or police define (Infact he looks like a proverbial rule breaker as he refuses to inject himself at the hospital). He is on his own and remains oblivion to the surrounding. The opening scenes helps build Narayan's character so well. The camera continues to stay with Narayan all through for the first 15 minutes of the opening scene, where he finishes his tuition with the children in the Chawl, gets out of the room and walks all the way to bus stand, takes the bus, attends to a phone call for a few seconds, gets down at the spot and eventually the camera follows him to the place where he performs. 

This sets the context for the movie and the character in a manner which is subtle and brilliant. And next hour and half of court is all about intricate camera work which helps to build the rest of the three characters. Between, court scenes we are exposed to the inner life of the three main characters, the advocate fighting for Narayan Kamble, the public prosecutor and the Judge. It starts with the lawyer and his life which is built around his family and his own work. He is a prosperous lawyer and in a scene where he is at the swanky retail store, he simply keeps filling up his shopping cart with products from the shelf, without bothering to check the price. Later with his family he is on a perennial tiff about the age old dilemma of marriage.

On the other hand when we are taken to the inner life of the public prosecutor who while travelling with her co-passenger cribs about the price rise, then with her family having a lunch in a budget hotel. She is least bothered who the accused is and is looking at closing the case as quickly as possible. Finally, in the closing scene we see the Judge with a set of people from his housing society at a resort. A very middle class affair where summer vacations often are a regular sojourn point. The conversations amongst the male who obviously sit separately while the women folk are at the other table meander around the regular middle class about education, salary package, numerology and everything which is about trying to remain safe and secure or perhaps trying to remain insular. Yes, education and money does remain the passport to success. 

The film closes brilliantly with a sudden but a paused reaction from one of the entourage members of the judge at the resort. And we as viewers are also witness to the episode of Narayan Kamble where we know he has been arrested again after being discharged from the earlier case; abetment of suicide. The court scenes stand out for some amazing camera work, where it barely moves and almost to the point being monotonous. In one of the opening scenes at the court, as viewers we are exposed to multiple set of events that takes place and you need to very careful and attentive to the proceedings. There is an advocate dozing off at one end, there is a set of advocates waiting at the wings for their turns and there are many other small details which brings in the dichotomy in the proceedings. And the brilliance of the camera work here brings in the authenticity and credibility in the scenes. Consider this, in one scene the Judge turns down a hearing because the plaintiff came in a sleeveless top. It reflects the thoughts and the kind of orientation that people in that league and level have. Infact, in the closing scenes where the Judge and his family are on a vacation, you are able to relate to the surrounding and the quality of conversation to understand, why did the Judge made such a comment in the court, about the lady and her dress. 

Court marvels in everything that classic film making is all about. The narration and the screenplay compliments so well that at times one has to literally make effort to connect the dots. And this is perhaps the reason why Tamhane's next venture Disciple will make sense to watch. A lot of what one gets to see in Disciple actually comes in from Court. Especially the camera work. In Disciple too, the camera stands still and barely moves for long moments. Except, in Disciple the camera works on one character but in Court it works across a certain sequence of events being played out. 

Court and Disciple are both compulsive films and it takes a lot of courage to make such films. The context of films are world apart but the time, the director and the team takes to build are class stuff. Court scenes are in constructed sets and it becomes very difficult to differentiate between the actual and the constructed set. Disciple takes place in numerous locations, unlike Court. It takes us to multiple locations where the classical music performances takes place and it also gives a peek into the inner life and turmoil of Sharad Nerulkar, the protagonist in Disciple. Surprisingly, Narayan Kamble comes from a underprivileged background and his swag and don't care a damn attitude contrasts so perfectly well with that of Sharad Nerulkar in Disciple, who is confused, frustrated and often feels that he has not done enough. And that is where Chaitanya's films are to be celebrated through the characters he creates. If Narayan Kamble is the I don't care a damn then Sharad is the one too bothered and obsessed with his surrounding and his mentor, often not clear what he himself wants. 

Tamhane used limited music in Court and music remains the backdrop in Disciple. And when it comes to casting, he has been very careful in both his outings. While Narayan Kamble's part was played by an actual protest song writer, composer and singer, Vira Sathidar (pity he died due to Covid complications recently) and in Disciple, Sharad Narulkar is played by a trained classical singer, Aditya Modak. Court has many new faces debuting and some known too (A brilliant Geetanjali Kulkarni and her class act remains the reading out the accusations to the Judge in a bland and banal way right at the start). But Disciple features a completely fresh set of faces who are all trained musicians in the classical space. A BIG BIG shout to Vivek Gombher for backing these two projects and believing in the vision of Chaitanya Tamhane.     

 Both films are on Netflix. Go watch.