A week before the theatrical release of the Telugu film Court – State Vs A Nobody, debut writer-director Ram Jagadeesh is excited but equally nervous. “If I can, I will finetune it some more. My team tells me it’s high time I stop,” he says with a laugh. Ram speaks with pride about his film, produced by actor Nani’s Wall Poster Cinema, starring Priyadarshi, Harsh Roshan, Sridevi and others.
Court is set in 2013 in Visakhapatnam, Ram’s hometown, a year after the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act came into effect. “The story is inspired by a number of cases, not one particular incident,” says Ram, who shares the screenplay credits with his friends Karthik and Vamsi.
Ram researched for a year and a half and spent six months writing. If one were to look up Ram Jagadeesh on social media, there is nothing beyond the Court references. “I don’t spend time on social media. Nenu paatha kaalam manishi (I am an old-fashioned guy),” he says. That lack of distraction helped him focus on writing.
Ram had his task cut out. “A courtroom drama has to engross the audience with conversations and cross questioning. A good screenplay is essential to hold people’s interest.” Ram watched a number of films, from the 1957 courtroom drama 12 Angry Men to the recent investigative thriller Murder on the Orient Express, to observe the screenplay.
Roshan, Priyadarshi and Sridevi in ‘Court’
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Special Arrangement
Among Indian films, Ram watched Damini, the Jolly LLB series and Chaitanya Tamhane’s Court. “I watched Chaitanya Tamhane’s film when it released in 2014 and was struck by its true-to-reality depiction. Back then, I did not know that one day I too would make a film of the same name,” says Ram.
Accompanied by production designer Vithal Kosanam, Ram visited district courts in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to observe the layouts, intending to portray the court in the film as realistically as possible. He also zeroed in on cinematographer Dinesh Purushothaman. “Dinesh had filmed two 100-crore Tamil films — Love Today and Maharaja — and yet, was not chasing the big projects. He was on the lookout for good stories. I did not look further.”
Ram learnt filmmaking by working in direction departments of films such as Ra Ra… Krishnayya, Oye Ninne and Urvasivo Rakshasivo. “Cinema halls were my first teachers,” he says, stating that he was drawn to cinema since childhood. In Class VIII, he was intrigued by the work that went behind the screens. Krishnavamsi’s Khadgam made a lasting impact, “I can talk about that film for hours, even today.”
Ram Jagadeesh
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Special Arrangement
He completed a diploma in chemical engineering in Visakhapatnam and tried his hand at short films, often turning to online resources to learn the craft. “In 2012, I participated in a short film contest held by MAA television. Sujeeth and Rahul Sankrityan (now established directors) were also competing; I made it to the top 50. That boosted my confidence and I moved to Hyderabad in 2013.” A couple of years later, Ram participated in a short film contest conducted by Sakshi media house and director Puri Jagannadh and won it.
Priyadarshi and Nani during the launch of ‘Court’
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Special Arrangement
The real test began when Ram set out to make Court. In Priyadarshi, he found a compassionate actor keen to narrate interesting stories. “Darshi had done Mallesham, and Balagam had not yet released. He expressed interest and said whenever I do it, he would be on board.”
Post Balagam, Priyadarshi had become a bankable lead actor and Ram was not sure if he would still be game. “Because, for about an hour Court focuses on the romance between Roshan and Sridevi’s characters. Darshi comes into focus later. However, to my surprise, Darshi was still keen. In fact, he helped me meet Nani. The story narration, with the dialogues, lasted five hours,” recalls Ram. Nani then asked Ram if the Malayalam court drama Neru could be a reference point, to which Ram responded that Court will be more in the space of Manoj Bajpayee’s Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai.
Court went on floors in September 2024. “I could not have asked for a better production house,” says Ram, heaping praises on Nani, his sister Deepthi Ganta and co-producer Prashanti Tipirneni. “Nani spoke to me on day one of the shoot and then again after the film was completed; there was no interference from him or Prashanti ma’am. Deepthi was a hands-on producer; she worked like an associate and made sure we got everything required for the film. Since she is also a writer-director, she had a great understanding of our vision for the film.”
Court is two hours 29 minutes long and Ram hopes that the audience would find the duration apt. “We took care to ensure that the film is engaging. Everything centres on the drama and there is only one song, composed by Vijay Bulganin, which has already become a big hit. The drama involves plenty of characters, featuring seasoned actors such as Sai Kumar, Sivaji, Rohini, Harshavardhan, Surabhi Prabhavathi and other new actors.”
As Court gears up for release on March 14, Ram is already thinking of his next film, which will also be produced by Wall Poster Cinema.
Published – March 08, 2025 09:53 am IST
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