Maamla Legal Hai ( Season 1)
Introduction
I can’t remember the last time that I have laughed so much in a legal satire. This has already been an incredible weekend which is by far the most consistent with respect to the quality of content being served. And I was expecting nothing less from Posham Pa’s new Netflix show Maamla Legal Hai which promised to be a refreshing take on the backdoor politics of the legal system. Over the past years, we have briefly been exposed to social satires on television be it Office Office or Yes Minister(Ji Mantri Ji) amidst the others that had then captured the imagination of the viewers. But the genre in itself dwindled away owing to the shifting political landscape of the country. The thing that would often pose a challenge to the genre also was the ability of the writing to convey its message without losing its sense of humour and getting preachy. And I was glad that some of the best makers that we have in our country at the moment in the form of Sameer Saxena, Amit Golani and Biswapathi Sarkar were at the helm of things here along with a few new folks who promised another solid outing for Posham Pa after Kaala Paani. So then does Maamla Legal Hai manage to tickle your funny bone, let’s find out.
Story & Screenplay
Maamla Legal Hai follows the story behind the backdoor politics of the legal system with every episode dedicated to incidents that transpire in the Patparganj Court and Bar Council with a common thread aligning each episode, almost like a sit-com format. The story is witty and taps into the grassroot issues of the legal system, mostly from the point of view of the lawyers and judges that adds a refreshing layer to the proceedings. This is particularly refreshing because the legal dramas are often told through the eyes of the common man or through Law Firms that take up the case, but the grassroot reality is a lot different from the one shown on celluloid. You will not have lawyers screaming out ‘Object My Lord’ or ‘Your Honour’ all the time, there is a section of the community who are lawyers but still awaiting their big break in the ecosystem. And that section is targeted here over a screenplay standing at 8 episodes of roughly 20 odd to 30 odd minutes each.
The drama gives a brief context for the viewers on what to expect through a little voiceover that acquaints the audience of the different mishaps transpires in the Patparganj Court while also introducing the viewers to most principal characters. One of them is Tyagi ji who aspires to contest for the post of the President of the Bar Council while having to face stiff competition from all quarters, the other being Sujata who aspires to have a chamber of her own while constantly helping other lawyers to get cases on a commission basis. You also have Ani, an idealist who has just returned after completing her studies abroad while wishing to practice law on her own terms, amidst a few of the other characters. And it is this mix of characters that truly makes for an impressive watch through multiple incidents meticulously highlighting the way of life in a regular court.
The proceedings are engrossing with the events of the drama being borrowed from real life incidents in the courtroom space. The plight of the lawyers and the bar council members are so well showcased here while always sprinkling the proceedings with bouts of humour. But more importantly, some of the issues discussed are relevant even though they might seem frivolous from the onset due to the thematic tone of the drama(representation of women in the bar council, issues of child marriage, allowing s*x amongst inmates in Punjab amidst others). What the drama does is gives you a perspective which honestly, I wasn’t quite familiar with while telling the story through the grassroot lens of these characters. Along the way, I found myself laughing uncontrollably at certain junctures in the turn of events that felt so organic and fresh from a writing standpoint.
Amidst all the politics and laughter highlighted, there is a sense of tenderness in the drama that also accounts for several heartfelt moments along the way. The characters are written such that you invariably invest in them even as they manoeuvre themselves amidst the chaos of each incident involving the court of law. The events leading up to the final act are designed to be feel-good while tactfully tapping into some gentle emotions that sudden engulf you towards the end. The screenplay here is fresh while dabbling with a totally different point of view that adds a sense of relevancy in the drama along with several laugh out loud moments.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are sharp and witty while intricately generating some genuine bouts of laughter along the way. The lines also had to the authenticity of the area in which the drama is set in. The BGM is pretty good and blends well with the tone of the drama although I wouldn’t say it was pathbreaking. The cinematography captures frames that genuinely paint a grim picture of reality but I liked how the creative decision was always to keep things simple and not add any filter to the frames. As a result, the ambience felt natural without adding another later of grimness which would have weighed down the drama. Hence, kudos to the production design of the show too. The costume department deserves a shoutout too for accurately designing the attire of characters based on their personalities. The editing is crisp and sharp while allowing the drama to be to the point. Director Rahul Pandey does a tremendous job in creating an accurate world of the law from a grassroot perspective and introducing some well written characters along the way. He seemed to be knowing his craft really well that resulted in a stellar show with the right dose of humour.
Performances
The performances are incredibly good by the ensemble cast. I thoroughly enjoyed the pearls of wisdom imparted by Vijay Rajoria who essays the role of Munshi ji. Brijendra Kala as PP Sahab is incredibly good while delivering a well measured yet heartfelt performance on the show. Vijayant Kohli as Judge Sunil is hilarious and I absolutely cracked up in the cricket scene being carried out in the court through an ongoing strike. Tanvi Azmi as Judge Bainsla and Vivek Mushran as Jaitley deliver dignified performances with subtle bouts of humour.
Rrama Sharma as Guddo was just amazing to watch as an underage girl who was looking to reunite with her husband against the wishes if her father-in-law. Her comic timing was absolutely on point and I died laughing in a scene featuring her husband being spanked. Aanya Rawal as Pinky absolutely nails her one-liners and it had me cracking up every time she would utter a word. Adithi Kalkunthe as SI Shyamali, Asif Ali Baig as Ahmed, Sam Mohan as Mangal(hilarious), Garima Vikrant Singh as Sagarika and Prerna Chawla as Asha, all manage to shine as does Anupama Chouhan as Simran. Samridhi Dutta as Lajjo has a solid screen presence in a fine job done here.
Kumar Vaibhav as Prince makes his presence felt. Pooja Shyam Prabhat as Varsha manages to impress despite a limited screen time and I will never forget ‘that look’ that she gives to the character of Ani which was hilarious to witness. Kumaar Saurabh is an incredible actor with tremendous range and here he is brilliant with his effortless comedy as Shambhu who later becomes the MRO(Monkey Repellent Officer, ROFL). Amit Vikram Pandey and Vikram Pratap as Law and Order respectively are hilarious as much with their antics as with their names. I find Anjum Batra to be a tremendous actor ever since I first saw him in the film 83. And I am the happiest seeing him in such a meaty role as Mintu wherein he absolutely smashes it with his impeccable comic timing. Yashpal Sharma as Phorey plays the perfect nemesis to Tyagi and he is always a pleasure to watch and study, even in a comic space as he finds himself in, here.
Anant Joshi as Vishwas is earnest and sincere with a charming little presence onscreen that he makes great use of here, while performing really well. Nidhi Bisht is such a fine actor and she absolutely nails her performance as Sujata. Her character has a comic exterior but a little heartfelt space within that often pops up every now and then. And this balance of emotions was wonderfully executed by her. Naila Grewal as Ani looks pretty and does a stellar job here. She was clearly the odd one out in terms of the world that her character finds herself in, and she highlights her vulnerabilities through subtle bouts of humour in a brilliantly portrayed act.
I must repeat myself again – Ravi Kishan is an absolute legend! It was only yesterday that I witnessed him in the brilliant film Laapataa Ladies. Here, he is in a completely different character almost underplaying himself while being suave throughout. The ability of an actor to be wonderfully understated while still finding a way to extract humour is nothing short of a genius at work!
Conclusion
The first season of Maamla Legal Hai is a hilarious and grounded satire on the backdoor politics of the legal system that makes for a brilliant watch. Available on Netflix and Highly Recommended!
