'Jai Bhim': Who is Justice K Chandru, the inspiration behind Suriya’s legal drama 

The recently released Jai Bhim has garnered a positive response from the audience and critics alike, with many lauding Suriya Sivakumar's powerful role as an upright lawyer trying to protect the rights of the oppressed. The movie showed the grim reality of how the people from disadvantaged sections of society struggle while navigating the judicial system. 

The TJ Gnanvel directorial charts the story of Senggeni and Rajakannu, whose lives topple after Rajakannu is convicted by the police due to an untoward incident and later goes missing from the police station. With lawyer Chandru's assistance, she files a habeas corpus petition, post which the audience learns the harsh ways by which the police murdered Rajakannu. For the unversed, the film is based on a real-life case fought by former Madras High Court Judge Justice K Chandru, who now resides in Chennai. 

More about Justice K Chandru

The real-life events shown in Jai Bhim took place in the Cuddalore district in 1993, when K Chandru was practising as a lawyer. He has disposed of 96,000 cases during his tenure and has been an active part of landmark judgements pertaining to women becoming priests in temples, having a common burial ground irrespective of the caste as well as government employees undergoing mental health issues being safeguarded from dismissal. 

He has dedicated his life to supporting the downtrodden and in a 2013 interview with  Bar and Bench, he noted that money was 'never a criteria' as he never aspired to become a ‘5-star lawyer’. In his judicial career, he has also pronounced a monumental verdict that secured employment for around twenty-five thousand poor women under the mid-day meal scheme. 

What is the real story behind Suriya's Jai Bhim? 

The real-life Rajakannu, who died in police custody, was a member of the Andai Kurumbar tribe who made bamboo baskets while being an agricultural labourer. He was accused of stealing jewellery from a house he worked in, causing his arrest. After his death due to constant torture, his body was disposed of in a neighbouring district, with police claiming that he escaped. 

K Chandru then fought a 13-year long legal battle, post which the court adjudicated that this was a case of custodial death. The police officials were then put through 14 years of imprisonment for Rajakannu's murder. 

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