Ram Jagadeesh: Circumstances can turn anyone into a villain

It was a long wait for Ram Jagadeesh before he finally got the chance to narrate Court – State vs A Nobody to Nani, who is now producing the film. Describing it as the biggest high of his journey, Jagadeesh recalls how Nani sat through the entire two-and-a-half-hour narration in one go. At the end, he said, "Welcome to Wallposter Cinema." "That moment still resonates in my head," Jagadeesh shares. 

Starring Priyadarshi, Harsh Roshan, and Sridevi in the lead cast, Court - State vs A Nobody deals with a sensitive subject like the POCSO Act. Jagadeesh recalls reading about a real life incident that piqued his interest in the subject. His interest was also fueled since there were only a few attempts which were made around the topic in Telugu cinema. He explains, “I researched about the act, and studied several case files which we could get access to. We then took their crux material and merged the pulp into one story. There are hundreds of cases around this act in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana alone.” Jagadeesh mentions that it was crucial to cast age-appropriate actors for the same reason. He elaborates, “This subject carries a lot of vulnerability, making it essential to cast actors of a similar age for the teenage characters. Casting for Jabili’s role, played by Sridevi, was particularly challenging.” 

Talking about the research process for his film, Jagadeesh remembers on a lighter note on how he learnt more from state personnel like constables, clerks and stenographers about the court-room proceedings. “Of course we consulted many lawyers for case-related nuances. However, this is a film on what really happens inside a courtroom—and that, I learnt from the constables and clerks,” he adds with a chuckle.

Ram Jagadeesh, who has earlier worked as an assistant director on films like Urvasivo Rakshasivo (2022) and Ra Ra... Krishnayya (2014), praises Priyadarshi for creating a comfortable atmosphere, both during story development and shoot. He recollects, “When Priyadarshi first heard the idea, he asked me not to narrate it to anybody else and said, ‘I am doing it.’ I then developed the story further with him. Usually, there’s some hesitation in discussing certain aspects openly with actors. However, it was a very unusual director-actor relationship with Priyadarshi—I could talk to him in an open and comfortable way.” Jagadeesh also acknowledges Nani’s support, who gave him a free hand during the making of Court - State vs A Nobody, explaining, “There were certain limitations on budget and shooting days, but he also provided us with a strong team to plan accordingly. Our co-producer Deepti gaaru was the mind behind the plan.”

Jagadeesh asserts that the integration of a love story into the courtroom drama will make Court - State vs A Nobody stand apart. He elaborates, “The two threads merged organically, and lent the story a certain originality.” The debutant director takes pride in the realistic tone of his film. He recalls a conversation where Shivaji, who plays Mangapathi in the film, asked him, "You have based my character on a real person, haven’t you?". “When certain incidents happens in your home, anyone could become a villain," he notes and adds, "This film will feel like a household drama unfolding in a courtroom. Its not larger-than life or fantastical. It’s reality and about all of us.”

At the same time, Ram Jagadeesh remains confident about the film’s box office potential. “There’s no reason to think Court isn’t commercial—it has all the highs and lows of a mainstream film. After one of the screenings, someone told me, ‘You’ve made a commercial film without a drop of blood on screen,’” he shares with a smile.