Netflix’s Indian slate is getting stronger by the day. The streaming giant has been home to some impeccable stories of late.
Maamla Legal Hai is the latest Hindi series to hit the platform.
A supposedly funny, light-hearted legal drama, the show has eight episodes, running for approximately four hours.
Surprisingly, it hasn’t been publicized like other Netflix series. Is it due to the content? Is the series a runaway affair?
Maamla Legal Hai Synopsis
Set in the premises of Delhi’s Patparganj court, Maamla Legal Hai revolves around everything legal in a light-hearted manner.
VD Tyagi, an experienced advocate, aims to fight the Bar Council Elections while Ananya, a new entrant to the world of law, enters the Patparganj court premises. Several characters collectively form different tales.
The show is created by Sameer Saxena and directed by Rahul Pandey.
It stars Ravi Kishan (VD Tyagi), Naila Grewal (Ananya), Nidhi Bisht (Sujata), Anant Joshi (Vishwas), Anjum Batra (Mintu), and Yashpal Sharma (Mahinder Phorey), among others.
What Works for Maamla Legal Hai?
Mostly, Hindi language legal dramas are either too cliched to be emotional or too slapstick to be funny.
Maamla Legal Hai somehow finds a balance. From afar, the idea might sound replicated but it has a touch of freshness.
The series starts with a smart-witted lawyer, VD Tyagi, turning a case on its head. He then runs for the Delhi Bar Council’s presidential elections. On the other hand, a rich, newbie advocate enters the Patparganj District Court arena and starts hustling for her first case. Many characters emerge to bring about a political campaign amidst imaginable hardships faced by those with a law degree. Weird cases, inspired by real-life incidents, keep popping up intermittently.
Maamla Legal Hai Outline
Maamla Legal Hai is loosely inspired by uncanny real-life cases that have been part of court hearings in India in the recent past.
From a parrot abusing someone to a bride accused of not behaving shyly on her wedding night, the series makes the most of outrageous real-life lawsuits.
If there had been no news clippings in the outro of respective episodes, I may have called some litigations highly superficial.
Besides, at a bigger level, all the characters come together at various points to enforce and depict the working of the law.
They make the drama worthwhile, the fun laughable, and the engagement captivating.
If conversational comedy is your thing, laced with mostly witty one-liners, Maamla Legal Hai will give you a good time.
Moreover, the series maintains a light-hearted vibe throughout keeping you away from any sort of deep, emotional investment.
Its feel-good nature is, by far, the show’s biggest strength. There are also moments of warmth and welcome, especially after you are able to connect with the characters.
Even though I said Maamla Legal Hai doesn’t demand much emotional investment, several sentimental exchanges make a mark on your heart.
Subtle barbs at social issues like casteism, misogyny, and the redundancy of the law work in the show’s favor.
Largely, the series has an emotionally uplifting background score for its intended audience.
How are the Performances?
Ravi Kishan goes global for the first time in a primary role on Netflix, shedding his ‘regional actor’ tag.
He leads the show through his magnetic aura, handling every scene with perfection. In Maamla Legal Hai, you can see him as a wholly responsible individual.
There are no comical exaggerations from his end. He guides the story, owns the character, and executes the plot authoritatively.
The veteran actor doesn’t disappoint the viewers and delivers a complete performance.
Naila Grewal plays Ananya in the Indian Netflix series. She aces the affluent accent and demeanor. The actress fulfills the show’s goal of putting an odd character in the midst of a typical environment.
Nidhi Bisht as Sujata is one heck of a performer. Her vocal intonations add spark to an already funny mien.
She has a witty ambiance that doesn’t swing around much. With a sharp dialogue delivery, Nidhi takes centerstage on many occasions and propels the narrative.
Her influence on the storyline is shaped quite well. She is playful, witty, and casually dominating in the show.
Anant Joshi is the younger lever of Maamla Legal Hai. He honestly plays his part and ensures no complacency takes place.
Joshi is one of the rare seriously sturdy figures of the creation.
Yashpal Sharma comes good on his well-known upsides of loud evocations and humorous meanderings. His antics allow the show to hold the viewer’s attention.
What Doesn’t Work for Maamla Legal Hai?
At times, lameness seems too obvious in comedy scenes, especially when the show attempts situational humor.
Such moments limit the potential of Maamla Legal Hai. It could have easily gone on to become a memorable and mindful legal comedy otherwise.
Moreover, the female lead’s sketch is too crudely written. She is introduced with much fanfare but doesn’t leave the desired impact.
Naïve moments also pull back Maamla Legal Hai. The characters engage in obvious banter using erratic expressions.
While doing so, they try to be extraneously funny, but they fail.
Additionally, the plot is too dramatic on occasions. Melodrama suddenly stops the flow of the storyline.
A significant negative aspect of the series, in my opinion, is its regressive tone, which is not countered within the narrative.
Specifically, it happens in the first half, where the writing reeks of prejudices and patriarchy.
Furthermore, the switch in camera angles fails to capture the continuation of the scenes.
Stream or Skip?
You can watch Maamla Legal Hai. Its light-hearted approach to a complex theme works really well.
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