Court Kacheri actor Ashish Verma on AI in Cinema: "Storytelling should be done by humans, for humans” | Exclusive

Ashish Verma exclusive

With Court Kacheri, Ashish steps into fresh territory as Param—a lawyer navigating both the quirk and seriousness of India’s legal world. The show, produced by TVF, promises a refreshing take on the legal drama genre.

In an exclusive conversation with Moneycontrol, Ashish opens up about why the project is special, his journey across mediums, his unexpected “casting director” label, and his views on AI in cinema.

He also mentioned that this role is an ode to his mother.

A Role Close to Home

When asked what drew him to the role of Param, Ashish didn’t hesitate and mentioned, “It’s my director, who was my batchmate, who was directing it. It was TVF, a production house known for stories that strike a chord with the audience. It was also the first time I was getting to play the protagonist. And plus, I was playing a lawyer—my mother was a lawyer, my grandfather was a lawyer. It was an ode to my mother. So there were so many ticks, checkboxes.”

Growing Up Around Courts

Unlike many actors who dive into workshops or research, Ashish had a different kind of preparation.

“I’m at home and my mother is a lawyer. Since childhood, I’ve seen so many people come home—her colleagues, clients. I’ve gone to courts many times in Delhi, like P. Samgari and Karkarduma. I knew what not to do. In films, lawyers are often shown in a very set pattern. But reality is way more quirky than it’s been shown. So I thought I’d portray something I’ve actually seen.”

Cinema or OTT? For Him, It’s the Story

Ashish has successfully balanced roles in films and streaming series, but he refuses to pick a favorite medium.

“I don’t have a preference. I’m not being politically correct—it’s really the story that decides the medium. Certain things can’t be said in films but can be in OTT, which has time freedom. On OTT, you have 6, 7, even 8 hours to tell a story. Films are restricted by two hours. Both have their strengths. Cinema is powerful when we watch together on the big screen, but OTT allows deeper character journeys. Personally, I love both. Both have given me a lot.”

He also points out OTT’s role in widening opportunities:

“OTT often casts actors who are not classic hero-looking people. That’s an advantage. Every character gets a journey because of the longer format.”

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Small Budgets, Big Stories

Recent years have seen small-budget films outperforming some big-budget spectacles. For Ashish, the reason is simple: story.

“It’s not a function of money. The story decides the budget. If the story is good, it will strike a chord. The audience doesn’t care if a film cost Rs. 200 crores or 20 lakhs. If it connects, it works. Small-budget films break even sooner, yes, but big-budget films also work—look at Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh sir, Salman sir. Those films succeeded because the stories connected. At the end of the day, it’s always the story that dictates the budget and the success.”

The Accidental “Casting Director”

One of the most humorous moments in the conversation came when clarifying his IMDb credit.

“No, I’m not a casting director, man! Someone help me get rid of that tag! I was in FTII, and a senior asked me to help cast non-actors for an Indo-French film. I did some actor handling and workshops. IMDb listed me as casting director. Later, I helped again with auditions in Punjab and discovered Surendra Vicky. But that’s it. To this day, people send me profiles saying, ‘Sir, if there’s any casting…’ I just forward them to my friend. Please, someone remove that label from Google!”

Making Characters Memorable

Ashish is known for bringing nuance to every role, no matter how small.
“You try to live the moment and bring an extension of your personality. But some roles are tougher, like Harish in Saas Bahu Aur Flamingo, who was a drug addict and disrespectful to women—very unlike me. I’ve never done drugs, so I had to find a process. For alcoholics, I drank a little alcohol to feel it. For cocaine, I drank a lot of black coffee for jitters, even snorted blue candy for scenes. Whatever I do, I add a quirk, an unusual path. That makes even the smallest role stand out.”

On AI and the Future of Cinema

Finally, Ashish shared his thoughts on AI entering filmmaking.
“It’s too nascent right now. If it’s an extension of animation, that’s good—it can help us imagine and tell unique stories. But storytelling is human-to-human. It should be made by humans, for humans, told by humans. If machines replace that, there’s no fun. But if used responsibly, AI can open doors to things that weren’t possible before.”

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Court Kacheri is a Hindi-language legal drama series from TVF, created by Arunabh Kumar and directed by Ruchir Arun. The show vividly depicts the world of a small-town courtroom, with standout performances from Ashish Verma and Pavan Malhotra in the lead roles.

Fundamentally, it's a tale of generational conflicts, legacy, and the internal conflicts that lie behind the court cases. Currently available for streaming on SonyLIV, the series gives viewers a new and realistic perspective on courtroom drama.