Court 2015

Narayan Kamble, a teacher, social activist and protest singer, finds himself swept up in a legal battle after being arrested on the charge of prompting Vasudev Pawar, a manhole worker, to commit suicide. The prosecution asserts that Pawar, who allegedly heard one of Kamble’s protest songs, was driven to end his life. In court, Kamble maintains that while he has sung many songs about suicide, he cannot recall whether any were performed on the day of Pawar’s death, and he denies any intention to provoke self-harm in others. A witness steps forward claiming to have seen the manhole worker singing Kamble’s song, adding to the tension surrounding the case.

In the following hearing, the investigating officer introduces a new angle, linking Kamble to an incarcerated man, Ashwin Bhagat, through a letter that accuses them of plotting illegal activity in the city. Kamble’s lawyer, Vinay Vora, explains that Bhagat had asked Kamble to look after his ailing mother while Bhagat was behind bars. The public prosecutor, Nutan, reveals that Kamble possessed two banned books—the first on Yoga and the second a critique of certain rituals of the Goyamari sect. The tension between defense and state authorities grows when Vora is beaten by members of the Goyamaris. Meanwhile, Pawar’s widow testifies that her husband worked without safety gear, lost an eye from exposure to poisonous sewer gases, and was also an alcoholic, though she denies any discussion of suicide or any prior mention of Kamble. The autopsy report is read aloud, indicating Pawar died from respiratory failure due to inhalation of hydrogen sulfide, with no signs of self-harm, and the testimony of the initial witness is criticized as that of a stock witness who has appeared in multiple other cases.

Despite Kamble’s deteriorating health and the lack of decisive evidence, the court grants bail set at ₹100,000 (about US$1,200), which Vora pays on Kamble’s behalf. However, Kamble is soon arrested again, this time on charges of conducting seditious camps under the cover of folk-artist workshops, and he is remanded to police custody. Kamble maintains that the charges and the accompanying evidence are fabricated, and Vora pleads for a reconsideration due to the severity of Kamble’s health condition; the judge instructs Kamble to appeal to the High Court. The film closes with a striking domestic vignette: the judge is shown enjoying a holiday with his family, but a playful disruption by children awakens him, and he reacts with a sharp slap, leaving the audience to ponder the fragile line between authority, responsibility, and human frailty.