It is rare to find a legal drama from India that doesn’t delve into the dramatics and jingoism to deliver the verdict.
‘Guilty Minds’, out now on Amazon Prime Video, explores how powerful people can be brought down by scandal and how secrets can never truly stay buried.
This series primarily showcases the two law firms, Khanna and Khanna Associates and For the People Associates, delving into their inner workings and exploring the cases that come their way.
KKA is headed by the patriarch L.N. Khanna (Kulbushan Kharbanda) and the management team includes his two sons, grandson Shubhrat (Pranay Pachauri), granddaughter Shubhangi (Namrata Seth) and Deepak Rana (Varun Mitra), the promising, star lawyer and partner in the firm.
FTPA is a two-member team consisting of Kasaf Quaze (Shriya Pilgaonkar), the daughter of Judge Munnawar Quaze, and Vandana Kathpalia (Sugandha Garg). Kasaf also happens to be Deepak’s classmate and an old friend.
The narrative mainly focuses on the personal lives, rivalry, and romance of the key characters and the cases they indulge in. While the two firms face off in most of the cases each episode tackles one major case apart from the politically driven Bhalla Case, which runs throughout the series. And to add a little chutzpah to the narrative, there is a stand-up comedian who spices up the telling.
Cases landing on their desk includes one of sexual exploitation involving a film director, along with a cold-blooded murder committed by a brilliant student, corporate cases and even a hit-and-run case involving a driverless car.
Each episode is taut with a narrative that is engaging and gripping in equal measures. The series is able to consistently maintain the engagement and technical quality seen in only ace productions, and the writing — in terms of tone, every intense moment is executed with excellence and always achieves the impact it reaches for.
The performances too are excellent to the extent that it feels improper to refer to them as performances. Each actor is natural, and the character they essay seems to be their second skin.
The only issue, which is too minor but still needs to be pointed out is the shaky camera work, especially during some of the intense moments in the episodes. This can be prominently seen in episodes one and six. It mars the viewing experience.
The music and background score have the pulse of an era gone by and is satisfying. It adds a bit of freshness which works to the series’ advantage.
Don’t miss it!
‘Guilty Minds’ is streaming on Amazon Prime Video
