Introduction

In today’s age, films play a crucial part in one’s life. The frame and develop the thinking of a person by representing a façade of the society, its organization, system, and functioning before the world. Hence, the representation of the Indian judicial system and the legal fraternity in Bollywood movies is an important aspect that needs to be focused on and analyzed since Bollywood is among the most successful film industries, not only in India but across the globe.Bollywood and Courtroom Dramas

The genre of crime and courtroom dramas in Bollywood movies has a wide audience as several movie viewers are fond of watching such Courtroom dramas in order to know how the system works. Based on the theme of the movie, they are keen to know whether the system will be able to grant justice towards the end of the film and the entire process, thereby keeping the viewer at the edge of his seat. Over the course of the past 100 years of the Indian film industry, especially Bollywood, there are several films that have been made in and around this genre, like ‘Ek Ruka Hua Faisla’, ‘Damini’, ‘Kyonki…Mai Jhooth Nahi Bolta’, ‘Phir Milenge’, ‘Shaurya’, ‘The State V/s Jolly LL.B’, ‘The State V/s Jolly LL.B 2’, ‘Pink’, ‘Rustom’, ‘Section 375’ and many more.

Few films may be entirely or partly based on real-life events, whereas others may be pure fiction; however, it is the representation of the legal fraternity in such films which is a matter of concern. In certain films, the legal fraternity may be portrayed decently and close to real, whereas, in others, the same may be represented in an absolutely fake or absurd manner. It may be to dramatize the scene as per the requirement of the plot of the film and the mood the director intends to set for the viewer. However, in certain cases, it may give the wrong message to the viewer, especially in the case where such audiences are laymen. On the other hand, a decent portrayal of the legal fraternity and people associated with the same may help in educating an individual about his/her rights and duties like we have seen in the movie ‘Drishyam’ wherein the lead protagonist who’s a cable service operator and fond of watching films, gains all the knowledge from films, etc and advises an old couple to file Writ of Habeas Corpus for their son who is detained unlawfully by a police inspector at the beginning of the film. Likewise an absolute bad or even passive portrayal of society’s law and order mechanisms may give a bad impression of the society to a viewer who is watching such content, sitting miles away from this country, or may mislead a person regarding a particular act.[1]Untrue or Absurd portrayal of Indian Judiciary and its members

In many Bollywood movies, lawyers are usually associated with negative personality stereotypes as people who do not follow any ethics or etiquette of the legal profession. Whereas Courtrooms are presented in a completely different and untrue way which are designed in a way to make the viewer believe they are huge in size and look like a grand place where there are two witness boxes placed opposite each other and the Courtroom is a big hall wherein huge crowd is sitting to witness the proceeding and lawyers are allowed to roam around the Court while arguing. Such portrayal of legal fraternity may create a wrong image in the minds of people who have not ever been associated with the legal world and not been to Courts among the viewers who consume such entertainment. However, narratives that show justice being achieved through judicial methods against the odds inspire a level of trust in the system among the audience. Another aspect is how much of the drama portrayed in movies are authentic. For example in movie ‘Damini’ released around the year 1993 and has a plot revolving around a rape case. There’s an important scene wherein the lead character of Damini is asked to identify the four rapists from a group of men by the defense lawyer, whose faces are covered in Holi colors. The defense lawyer then ups the drama by pushing each man upon Damini, trying to provoke her to make a point whereas, in reality, the process of identification is not conducted in this manner in Court. The police have to file a charge-sheet and make a case before anyone comes to Court. Even then, the identification process is not brought to the Court of law.

In the film ‘Meri Jung’, Anil Kapoor is left with no choice but to drink a full bottle of medicine only to prove that it is not, in fact, poison. Maybe he did have other options but he chose the fastest one to prove that his client did not poison the bottle. However, if any lawyer tries that in real life, he will be held for Contempt of Court because lawyers are not allowed to do any act that tampers the evidence. There is also a scene in the movie \’Kyunki…Mai Jhooth Nahi Bolta\’ wherein the character of a lawyer played by Govinda sets himself on fire to prove his point to the Judge in the open Court in the middle of the proceedings of his matter. This act in real may get a lawyer in jail and his practice license may get canceled. In most of the films, lawyers are portrayed wearing black gowns even in District Courts and Sessions Court which in reality isn’t true. Only in High Court and Supreme Court lawyers are required to wear gowns whereas in lower Courts lawyers are only expected to wear black coats instead of gowns, along with white bands.Decent and close to the real portrayal of the legal fraternity in movies of Bollywood

Over the years, Bollywood films have gone through a tremendous change and therefore even the portrayal of the legal fraternity which was many times over the top and melodramatic and certain times full of passionate outbursts over the miscarriage of justice has been now replaced by lawyers using logic and factual technicalities to address the Court with inventiveness. Back in the 1980s, in the movie ‘Ek Ruka Hua Faisla’ the portrayal of jury members and how their thinking over a case gets impacted is portrayed in a much more authentic and in a close to real manner. However, in recent films, the Courtroom scene in ‘No One Killed Jessica\’ was directed in a way close to how functions take place in reality in criminal matters. Also, the Courtroom proceedings and portrayal of lawyers played by actress Mita Vashisht and actor Abhishek Bachchan in the movie ‘Phir Milenge’ are cleverly directed, close to reality. The film is about an HIV+ virus-infected employer of an organization fighting against her unethical termination from her job for being infected with the virus and shows how paper evidence play role in judicial proceedings. Even the portrayal of Kareena Kapoor’s character as a lawyer in the movie ‘Aitraaz’and her arguments were considered close to real back then. Recently, in the movie ‘Thappad’ the portrayal of opposing lawyers by actress Maya Sarao and actor Ram Kapoor representing wife and husband respectively shows how the lawyers of both the parties of a matrimonial dispute bring in a settlement. The negotiations outside Courts taken place between the Clients, in the presence of their lawyers has been captured well in a 100% genuine manner by the director even though the basic plot of the film may not convince all kinds of movie viewers. The design of Courtrooms in the recent films like ‘The State V/s Jolly LL.B’, ‘Simba’ and few others have been designed close to how a Courtroom is, in reality, which full of files or briefs and it is just like a big room with only necessary people present pertaining to a certain case.Conclusion

To conclude, the depiction of the actual role of law with petitions summons, involving related officials, and portraying lawyers, parties, and witnesses, without going overboard in their acting, is considered boring by many filmmakers. Even to date, making regular blockbuster masala movies and the vision of a filmmaker plays a major role in the depiction of a particular system in its proper form. Probably to attract viewers, the filmmakers may ignore factual details at times and portray the legal fraternity and legal system in an absurd or untrue manner. However, with changing times, few films have managed to depict the legal fraternity and legal system in close to the real manner and without imparting misinformation and yet delivering the right message and right kind of entertainment for viewers.

–Vaidehi Harshad Samant

Advocate, Mumbai

References

[1] https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-court-raps-indian-man-for-stalking-australian-women-bollywood-style-2056531