In a Telugu cinema where action and larger than life stories rule the roost, Court: State vs A Nobody is a quiet yet powerful counterpoint—a legal drama that trades spectacle for substance, courtroom drama for introspection. Directed by debutant Ram Jagadeesh, this 149 minute thriller released on March 14, 2025 and is getting praise for its unflinching look at judicial inequalities and social biases. Starring Priyadarshi Pulikonda as a young lawyer who is thrown into an impossible fight, the film has grossed ₹57–58.15 crore worldwide and proves that sincerity can still fill multiplexes. But does this underdog story deliver justice or gets lost in procedural complexities?
The story revolves around Surya Teja (Priyadarshi), a junior advocate whose life becomes chaotic when he takes up the pro bono case of Chandu (Harsh Roshan), a young man falsely accused under draconian laws following a tragic accident, which has political undertones. As Teja navigates the biased system, the story unfolds the power dynamics, class divide and the human cost of “justice”. Flashbacks show Chandu’s innocent romance with Jabili (Sridevi Apalla), a meet-cute with nostalgic references to Telugu cinema classics, which becomes an emotional anchor to his plight, making it more heart breaking. Jagadeesh’s script, written with Vamsidhar Sirigiri and Karthikeya Sreenivass, balances the personal and procedural, using the courtroom not just as a battleground but as a mirror to the societal flaws – corrupt officials, media sensationalism and the erosion of empathy in the name of law.
Priyadarshi, the chameleon of Telugu cinema, gives a career best as Teja, transforming from a wide eyed underdog stumbling through briefs to a fierce force, wielding words as weapons. His restraint in the first half – marked by awkward silences and quiet frustrations – gives way to fiery eloquence in the second, and you cheer for every small victory. It’s a role that uses his everyman appeal to make Teja’s journey feel so relatable. Harsh Roshan is raw as Chandu, his wide eyed innocence clashing heartbreakingly with the system’s brutality, while newcomer Sridevi Apalla is a talent to watch as Jabili, her fresh faced charm and emotional depth. The ensemble is good: P. Sai Kumar is commanding as the senior lawyer Mohan Rao, his gravitas holding the mentor role; Sivaji and Rohini add texture as key witnesses; and Subhalekha Sudhakar’s Mangapathi is just antagonistic enough to fuel the drama without being a caricature. These performances, with sharp dialogues that cut like legal precedents, form the emotional core of the film and even the familiar beats work.
Technically, the Court runs on a shoestring budget but packs a punch. Dinesh Purushothaman’s cinematography contrasts the cold, fluorescent lit courtroom with warm, sunlit personal moments. Vijai Bulganin’s score is judicious, using minimal strings to build tension rather than bombast. Karthika Srinivas’s editing is tight, zipping through the 2 hour 29 minutes to get to the pre-interval build up and then delivering a second half full of procedural thrills. The production design is authentic in its low key sets, from cluttered law offices to the imposing yet flawed halls of justice. You don’t need a big budget to tell a good story. It’s a film that feels grounded, almost documentary like in its realism and has some humorous asides – like Teja’s banter with his mother – that lighten the load without undermining the gravity.
But the Court isn’t without its wobbles. The first half meanders through setup and subplots—education and women’s empowerment that, while well intentioned feel grafted on rather than organic—takes its time to get going. Jagadeesh goes for melodrama at key points, prioritises emotional crescendos over logic and that dilutes some of the reveals and makes the resolution more crowd pleasing than intellectually rigorous. Critics have pointed this out: while the film’s message on duty is powerful, it sometimes sacrifices procedural depth for sentimental flourishes and follows familiar legal drama tropes without subverting them. At U/A it’s family friendly but has weighty themes that will prompt post film discussions on real life parallels.
In the end, Court: State vs A Nobody is a triumph of intent over indulgence—a debut that proves Ram Jagadeesh is a voice to be heard and Priyadarshi is a master of subtlety. Not the best of the genre, but in a year of so much formulaic nonsense, it’s a call to accountability, on screen and off. Streaming now on Netflix since April 11, 2025. Must watch if you believe justice delayed is not denied. In the end,the Court doesn’t rewrite the law of cinema, but it reminds us: even a nobody’s story can demand an answer.