Patna Shuklla Review: Raveena Tandon Starrer Is A Run-Of-The-Mill Courtroom Drama

OTT has helped 90s Bollywood actresses find a firm footing in the entertainment space once again. While some have become leading ladies in interesting projects across genres, others have carved a niche as character actors. Raveena Tandon, once the star of popular comedies, has seen a career resurgence of sorts. Patna Shuklla is her latest offering where she attempts to prove her mettle. However, the film, directed by Vivek Budakoti, is quite a middling courtroom drama and does not do justice to her hunger for meatier roles in this new phase of her career.  

Hot Take

Patna Shuklla is a legal drama which plays out in the context of prevailing social inequality in Patna, Bihar. With her character Tanvi Shukla, Raveena also attempts to break free from the shackles of the patriarchal society that deems women worthy of chores within the confines of the household. However, while the director takes up serious themes, he falters in the manner in which they are depicted onscreen. Suffice to say that the narrative lacks depth, appears tonally one-dimensional and flimsy. What is then left is the sentimentality of Tanvi fighting against all odds in an attempt to try and evoke empathy from the audience.

Does Patna Shuklla live up to the hype?

The storyline juggles between Tanvi's personal life and her nothing-to-show-for professional career as a lawyer in the lower court. She comes across a case that pits her against the upper echelons of the society. Her struggle to find justice for Rinki (Anushka Kaushik) in a case of examination fraud opens the pandora's box and lands her in the midst of dirty power politics. Will Tanvi succumb or offer a ray of hope to the likes of Rinki? We get to know through the storyline.

Storyline has zero novelty

The screenplay by Vivek Budakoti has nothing new to offer. Often, Patna Shuklla brings back the memories of Jolly LLB, not in a way one would like. The performances leave us utterly disappointed as the director fails to build up tension inside the courtroom. Tanvi's confrontation scenes are mundane and make it a sufferable watch.

Chandan Roy Sanyal makes for an unconvincing courtroom adversary

It is a common theme in underdog stories to have a formidable opponent so that the redemption arc of the down-and-out protagonist hits home harder. However, in Chandan Roy Sanyal's Neelkanth Mishra, Patna Shuklla finds an infirm villain. He struggles to find the right tone for his character, leaving Raveena lurking without a proper stand-off.

Raveena gets too little to work around with

Tanvi's story has a beginning, middle and an end. However, the trajectory of her character is banal and one that has been seen far too many times to feel fresh and compelling. With the lack of a strong character on paper, Raveena's performance falls in the flat zone. It's almost like her docile behaviour mirrors those who lack agency. But the impact by the end of the runtime, which one expect to be forceful, gets buried under the weight of a visionless script.

Stream it or skip it?

Interestingly, for a movie that deals with serious themes, Patna Shuklla's saving grace is the mirth that late Satish Kaushik lends to the film. If one wants their time's worth, they are better off watching other, more compelling courtroom dramas. Pink, No One Killed Jessica, Jolly LLB, Mulk and OMG come to mind.

Bottomline

Raveena has done far better in the OTT space. Aranyak and Karmma Calling gave her the opportunity and the storylines to explore her potential. Patna Shuklla leaves her wanting for more, much like the audience.   

Rating: 1.5/5 stars