Courtroom dramas have always been extremes – either serious revolving around a tragic crime or showing some lawyers doing some buffoonery trying to elicit a few forced laughs. Fortunately, Maamla Legal Hai on Netflix is neither of these and that’s like a breath of fresh air. The series, directed by Rahul Pandey, and written by Kunal Aneja and Saurabh Khanna, stars Ravi Kishan, Nidhi Bisht, Naila Grewal, Anant Joshi, Anjum Batra, Yashpal Sharma and others.
It is at the Patparganj District Court that these lawyers practice and the cases they get and issues they face are laced with satire and wit. While senior lawyer VD Tyagi (Ravi Kishan) is extremely manipulative and hopes to be the head of the Patparganj Bar Association, newbie Harvard-graduate Ananya Shroff (Naila Grewal) learns the harsh reality of what being a lawyer is all about here. Meanwhile, Sujata (Nidhi Bisht) has never fought a single case but she is seen as the Didi who wields influence at this court. Real cases have been taken and presented with humour and that’s what makes this eight-episode series an engaging watch. The only time it loses steam is when VD Tyagi’s issues with his father are explored, slowing down the series and digressing as well.
Overall, the show is a good watch and it’s also largely thanks to the wonderful performances by the cast, including the supporting characters. Ravi Kishan has honed his acting skills over the years and has deftly proven his acting ability by taking on roles beyond the ‘bad man’ in films. And this clearly shows in Maala Legal Hai. Another standout performance is by Nidhi Bisht who slays the Didi role with her dialogue delivery and gestures.
Writers Saurabh Khanna and Kunal Aneja have really fleshed out each of the characters for this series and ensured that all of them get importance even though Ravi Kishan would be seen as the star of the series. The whole is the sum of the parts and in Maamla Legal Hai, this phrase can’t be truer as every part (lawyer) is different and quirky which is what makes the whole – Patparganj District Court – enjoyable. Highly recommend it.