Shriya Pilgaonkar on courtroom dramas: "I enjoyed 'Jai Bheem'. And 'Court' is a very authentic representation"

Shriya Pilgaonkar in 'Guilty Minds', which released on Amazon Prime Video on April 22, 2022. (Image: Amazon Prime Video)

A new Amazon Prime Video series explores the world of the law, court cases and the lives of lawyers in and out of the courtroom. Creator and director of Guilty Minds (releasing on April 22, 2022), Shefali Bhushan (Jugni, 2016) drew on the experiences of her family to craft a legal drama that follows Kashaf and Deepak, two ambitious lawyers played by Shriya Pilgaonkar and Varun Mitra. Co-directed by Jayant Digambar Somalkar, the series also stars Namrat Sheth, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Satish Kaushik with several guest appearances as well.

Bhushan, Pilgaonkar and Mitra spoke about the challenges of working on a legal drama, what makes the genre so compelling and where they found inspiration. Excerpts:

SHEFALI BHUSHAN

Was your own family a huge inspiration for the series?

The law has had a deep impact on my life. I come from a family of so many lawyers, including both my grandfathers, my father (Shanti Bhushan), brother (Prashant Bhushan) and so on. I felt there were no good legal dramas coming out of India, so who better than us to do that. It was a natural progression from living with arguments and cases all my life. The writers’ room consisted of Jayant, Manav Bhushan (a non-practicing lawyer), Deeksha Gujral (a lawyer) and myself.

Each episode appears to be based on a different case. Are the stories built around real legal cases?

They are based on incidents and issues that we encounter, but they are all fictionalised. In a writers’ room, each person comes with their own interests and ideas, and some of those find their way into the script.

How much emphasis was there on achieving authenticity of court, legal formalities, etc.?

All the actors were very hardworking and enthusiastic. They spent time in court observing. They spent time talking to me, talking to Manav, Deeksha and other lawyers. The production and art direction also contributed to achieving realism. The most pressure was on the legal/legalese front. It was very tricky because at first we had written cases across three courts, but then we realised that there is no cross-questioning and no testimonies recorded in the High Court. So we shifted our setting to the lower courts that lend themselves to more dramatic play.

According to you, what elements contribute to making a compelling courtroom drama?

Any compelling storytelling in the visual medium is made up of different elements. It is a director’s medium and with brilliant creative minds on the same page, working with human emotions, in the backdrop of a courtroom and in the personal lives of lawyers, is fertile for a layered, complex and nuanced story.

Shefali Bhushan and Varun Mitra.

VARUN MITRA AND SHRIYA PILGAONKAR

Shriya, describe the relationship between Kashaf and Deepak.

They share an interesting dynamic. There is affection and warmth, but they have very different approaches towards their work. She looks at life in black and white, as right or wrong. She must believe in the case she is fighting for. Deepak, on the other hand, takes up cases where he does not have emotional investment. It’s more of a strategic move, and the two don’t always agree with each other. She doesn’t let people in very easily. She is strong but equally vulnerable and sensitive.

Varun, would you say the show is about family vs firm?

The common thread is the legal drama. Each episode has a new case, which is relevant to contemporary life. There is also a personal track between Kashaf and Deepak, exploring their relationship. Then there is office politics, behind closed doors and family stuff. Basically, it’s life with legal drama.

You play lawyers who are usually on opposing sides in the courtroom, but are friends outside of work. Which scenes were easier to perform – the courtroom scenes or the relationship drama?

Shriya: The non-courtroom scenes were more challenging though I thought the courtroom would be. Kashaf is going through a range of things in season one.

One of the fun things I got to do was a salsa dance sequence, and in another scene she completely breaks down. In court she is passionate, vocal, expressive, but she’s not like that outside court.

Varun: The normal drama one experience more easily in life, but we worked more on the courtroom drama. It was also more fun. We totally enjoyed the court scenes, which were also shot very realistically. Some shots were 9-10 minutes long. The fumbles and all were a part of it, and there’s no scope for improvisation when it is about the law.

Shefali Bhushan with Shriya Pilgaonkar.

What or who were you references for getting into lawyer mode?

Varun: We spent a lot of time with Shefali. Her family is full of lawyers. She told us stories of her father. How he was theatrical, and how a lawyer takes on a case and blindly believes in it. I spoke to friends who are lawyers and got notes on the little things and how difficult it is. I attended courts in Mumbai and Delhi and took in the vibe of the library, courtroom, cafeteria, etc. There is professionalism and a code of conduct, which was nice to see. I watched some guys argue who were similar to my character. Deepak is theatrical and argues passionately.

Shriya: I had multiple conversations with friends who are lawyers, to get to know the people behind the lawyers, to understand what they went through and the challenges they encountered. I attended the High Court. I observed that there are different kinds of lawyers – flamboyant, put together, articulate and performers. So I was free to create Kashaf’s persona in the court, but we didn’t want it to look amateurish or that we are trying too hard. The checkpoint was Shefali who would tell us if we were going off.

Do you like courtroom dramas?

Shriya: I love them. Of late, I enjoyed Jai Bheem. And Court is a very authentic representation. Then I have watched How to Get Away with Murder and Boston Legal. I have been a fan of how they showcase lawyers and their lives. A lot depends on the writing, but in our show the different cases were fascinating to read. Guilty Minds also raises certain philosophical questions that implore you to discuss and reflect.

Varun: I used to watch Boston Legal and Ally McBeal. The stories were fascinating and it was nice to see the way they dress. As an actor it’s fun to live these lives. I think the drama in a courtroom is elevated to another level, with the body language, interrogation and confrontation.