Raveena Tandon’s courtroom drama makes for an engaging watch sans any frivolous twists
Cast:
Patna Shuklla is no Jolly LLB where you break into fits of laughter every now and then upon hearing the arguments presented by the lawyers. Yet, this Raveena Tandon-starrer succeeds in putting forth a strong case and makes for a compelling watch. The story isn’t devoid of flaws, but it’s the earnest performance by Raveena and the endearing act by late Satish Kaushik, that elevate the narrative and keep you engaged.
The premise surrounds Tanvi Shukla (Raveena), a lawyer in Patna’s lower court. At home, she is a loving wife to her husband Siddharth (Manav Vij) and a doting mother to their school-going son, Sonu. But, Tanvi’s happy family life turns upside down when she decides to fight the case of Rinki Kumari (Anushka Kaushik) and sets out to expose a big scam in the education system involving youth icon Raghubir Singh (Jatin Goswami). In her quest to get justice for Rinki, Tanvi ends up rubbing feathers with influential people and ends up encountering a dark secret about her own past. As the case gains steam, she gets the title
Patna Shuklla.
As a courtroom drama, this Vivek Budakoti directorial has its high and lows, but the consistent screenplay keeps it going. Patna Shuklla isn’t just your typical courtroom drama; it also touches upon the issue of gender disparity without getting preachy. The dialogues, however, needed more power and gravity to make an impact. At 2 hours 13 minutes, the film is a tad stretched in the second half and could have benefitted from crisper editing, especially in the scenes outside the court. But, the makers redeem it quickly by offering an interesting twist that you don’t see coming.
After portraying an ultra-glam ’90s heroine in Karmma Calling, Raveena wins you over with a rather demure and understated performance. Trust her to look ravishing even in a deglam avatar and still make an equal impact. Her portions with the prosecution lawyer Neelkanth Mishra (Chandan Roy Sanyal) are intense and convincing, though Chandan’s performance is passable. Satish, as the judge, is the highlight of the film and has great punch lines that can’t go unnoticed.
In the day and age where courtroom dramas have caught the audience’s eye, Patna Shuklla is a good addition to the list and makes for a decent watch. The film is now streaming on Disney + Hotstar.