'Court Kacheri' Review: A cross-exam that spills some tea but brings no jaw-dropping receipts

Court Kacheri

Where to watch: Sony LIV

Cast: Pavan Malhotra, Ashish Verma, Puneet Batra, Priyasha Bhardwaj, Kiran Khoje, Sumali Khaniwale, Bhushan Vikas & others

Rating - *** (3/5)

TVF’s latest series Court Kacheri, now streaming on Sony LIV, is a 5-episode legal drama that builds its story around a father-son relationship and the professional world they share. It is not a mainstream splash like some of TVF’s earlier titles, but it has the quiet confidence of a project that knows its tone.

Setting the stage in a small city court

The show opens in a small city court where two generations of lawyers work under the same roof. Pavan Malhotra plays Harish Mathur, a respected advocate with decades of experience, while Ashish Verma portrays his son, Param Mathur, a reluctant lawyer still figuring out his path. The supporting cast includes Puneet Batra, Priyasha Bhardwaj, Kiran Khoje, Sumali Khaniwale, Bhushan Vikas, and others, each adding distinct shades to the narrative.

Plot beyond the courtroom

The plot moves beyond courtroom procedures to explore how personal relationships are shaped and strained by shared professions. The core is the dynamic between Harish and Param. The death of Param’s mother during his childhood left an emotional distance between father and son, which is slowly unpacked over the episodes. While Harish’s name commands respect in legal circles, Param struggles with the career path he never truly chose.

Param takes on the case of Satyavaan (played by Bhushan Vikas), a man fighting a divorce battle. This case becomes the backdrop for examining deeper issues family expectations, societal pressures, and the weight of legacy. Parallel to this, Suraj Beriya who is Harish’s long-time assistant and Param’s close friend, adding both comic relief and a grounded perspective.

Strong performances, mixed writing

Where Court Kacheri scores is in its casting. Ashish Verma brings an understated awkwardness and stubbornness to Param, making him believable as someone stuck between obligation and desire. Pavan Malhotra, as always, commands presence without theatrics. Their exchanges carry the push-pull tension of a real parent-child relationship where affection is often masked by sharp words. Suraj Beriya’s character provides moments of levity without undercutting the drama.

The supporting actors also get room to shine. Priyasha Bhardwaj and Kiran Khoje have limited but effective screen time, ensuring the show’s world feels lived in rather than a simple backdrop for the main duo. The series is not without its misses. While the execution, direction, and performances are solid, the writing occasionally loses momentum. Certain subplots are hinted at but never fully resolved, creating the sense of a case being settled off-record rather than in court. The divorce storyline, for instance, serves its thematic purpose but doesn’t land with the narrative weight it initially promises.

Themes of choice and legacy

Thematically, Court Kacheri is about choices and the paths life sets for us, whether we actively pick them or simply follow the current. Param’s reluctance, Harish’s persistence, and Suraj’s long-term loyalty all reflect different ways of engaging with the same profession.

Visually, the show keeps things grounded. There’s no glossing over the setting the courtrooms look functional, the chambers are cramped, and the city feels lived in. This helps maintain the series’ tone, avoiding the overly polished look that can make legal dramas feel disconnected from reality.

Final Thoughts

In the end, Court Kacheri delivers a slice of life inside a fictional court, framed through the bond between a father and son. It’s not about sensational cases or headline-making verdicts. It’s about the quieter, personal verdicts that shape people over time accepting a profession, making peace with family expectations, or recognising the unspoken support that has always been there.

For viewers expecting a high-stakes, twist-heavy legal drama, this might feel understated. But for those open to a smaller, character-driven story, it offers a few rewarding moments. The lack of a neatly tied-up ending might frustrate some, but it stays true to the idea that not all conflicts legal or personal end with a clear verdict.

Court Kacheri sits somewhere between TVF’s more experimental work and its mainstream hits. It’s a modest series in scope, carried by strong performances and a believable central relationship. It may not be a landmark legal drama, but it does enough to hold attention and invite reflection on the choices that lead us into the lives we live.