[phone vibrates]
-Hello? -[JP, choppy voice] Hello?
-Yes? -Can you hear me?
-JP? -Hello?
Hello?
-I can't hear you, man. -Listen. Can you hear me now?
-Yes, wait a minute. Wait. -[clear] Found a buyer for your bike.
But he's refusing to pay more than 25.
How will you arrange for 180 by tomorrow? Pull it out of your ass?
JP, are you fucking insane?
You keep going on and on, "We want 180! We want 180!"
I'm trying. Do you want me to rob a bank or loot someone?
-I'm selling my bike. -[angrily] Oh, fuck off!
[shushes]
Sorry. Sorry.
[crackling]
Fuck!
-[clicks tongue] -[phone vibrates]
Namaste, Kagzaat ji.
[Kagzaat] Were you asleep?
Sleep is a luxury for people like us.
You've been awake for a long time But when will you wake up?
Your bad times have passed…
Did you call me up so late to recite poetry?
-Please come to the point. -I have a client for you.
-Drinking and driving! -[weepingly] Dad, I'm sorry!
-Taking girls out for drives! -No…
I got you that car for college, not for picking up girls!
I'm sorry. Sorry.
Sir, hit him some more.
-Sorry, Dad! -Wanna fool around some more?
Hey!
What's going on?
Put him behind bars, sir!
He is in custody! You get out!
-Get out. -Two minutes.
What are you doing?
Take him!
Just drag him in!
Sir, you got two minutes?
-Tell me. -I need to talk to you. Please.
Sir, he's a kid. He made a mistake.
His dad just gave him a solid thrashing. There's more waiting for him at home.
-Please let him go. -He's a kid?
He was driving under the influence!
There's a complaint against him.
Who made the complaint?
They're outside.
Oh my! This is killing me!
He broke my knee!
Listen, sister. If your knee was broken,
you wouldn't have been sitting here so calmly.
Five rupees for the bandages, twelve rupees for the antiseptic,
and 300 rupees for the taillight.
I'll get you 5000 rupees.
Just go back there and withdraw the complaint. You'll make a profit.
Ask for ten.
Sahab, please get us ten.
Hey, I deal with scumbags like you every single day.
The ones who love to jump in front of moving vehicles.
Why is the chassis number sanded off?
Is it a stolen bike?
Show me the RC.
-Show me the RC! -No, sahab. It's not stolen.
-We bought it from a thief. -Yes.
We'll take back the complaint if that's what you want.
-Her knee is alright. -Yes, sir.
Alright, sahab.
What happened?
Sir, they were going to book him under 307 along with 297. Attempt to murder.
Murder? He didn't murder anyone!
I had a word with them. It will be settled.
For how much?
-Five. -Lakh?!
That's too much! How do you expect me to arrange it just like that?
-Yes. They were demanding five. -You…
But I've spoken to them.
We have a deal for two.
Alright. I'll arrange for it somehow.
Thank you.
[car engine starts]
[funky indie music plays]
[music fades out]
[folkish music]
-[children chattering] -A-Satyavan Mishra, you prick!
I'll burst every balloon of bullshit you've blown up!
Param Mathur will find out everything there is
to know about your daughter today.
I have never heard about your organization.
Ma'am, our organization wants to offer scholarship to one kid in every tahsil.
Scholarship? That's amazing!
We have a student here, Shubham.
Very bright child and an excellent football player.
No, no. Ma'am, it's not merit-based.
It's for underprivileged children.
Wait. There's a girl, Swati Kumari.
-She might just meet all your criteria. -There's one more criteria, ma'am.
The child must be raised by a single parent.
We have a watchman here. His son Kamal--
Oh, I forgot to tell you about the last criteria.
Single mother.
Well, then we have a child, Deepu Mishra.
Hope this Deepu Mishra does fulfill all our criteria.
Yes.
-Can I see her file? -Sure.
I do have a question, though.
Yes, ma'am?
Single parents and the underprivileged fall into commonly seen categories.
I've never heard of one for single mothers.
That's because it's quite tough for single mothers.
It's quite tough for single fathers as well.
You see, single mothers get sympathy from everyone,
but single fathers don't get any support.
Wait a second.
Deepu Mishra's mother has a partner?
That's not what I meant.
Ratna is a really simple woman.
What I meant was, how can you expect
single fathers to raise their children all by themselves?
They aren't naturally wired with maternal instincts.
Single fathers really need help.
I think you're right, ma'am.
They do need help.
[school bell rings]
[children chattering]
What did you do today?
Today, I played kho kho, made a drawing…
and I studied.
[honking]
The father's name in the file was Satyavan Mishra.
They also look alike.
This is his daughter.
-Finally discharged, Uncle? -Yes, dear.
Have turmeric milk every night.
-Yes. -Don't forget.
-Oh, no, dear. -Okay?
[old man] You've done a lot for me, my dear.
-Here, keep this. Buy some sweets. -No, no.
-[old man] No, dear. Come on. -[Ratna] No, Uncle.
What are you doing, Param?
There's nothing to gain by snooping around after these innocent people.
Go to Satyavan's village.
The truth about this case lies there.
[Kagzaat] It takes time, Advocate Sahab.
Kagzaat ji,
please do it.
The client is in a hurry.
Who isn't in a hurry in this office?
The client is now destined to make multiple visits here.
What's one more visit?
Please try and hurry.
Please come.
What's this?
Your commission.
And this?
That…
That's my love.
There's a tinge of sadness I sense in the love
What are you hiding?
You know what happened last night.
Yes, you helped a family.
You freed a kid from the police custody.
-You did something good. -No, Kagzaat ji.
I didn't do anything good.
I took advantage of someone's helplessness.
You're talking as if you got out of college yesterday.
Don't be childish!
You know, Kagzaat ji…
when I got admission for LLB…
a few friends said…
"Why are you getting yourself into this mess?"
"It's a profession where you earn off lies."
"Do you really want to be a lawyer?"
I used to laugh at them.
I used to say, "I'll never be that kind of lawyer.
I'll be an honest lawyer.
I'll help people."
If I were to meet them today, I won't be able to look them in the eye, Kagzaat ji.
You can't pour from an empty cup, Suraj.
Once you open your practice and start working,
you will be able to help people.
How will I help?
It feels like I've taken four steps back in life.
I'm sure you know Akhtar sahab.
Javed?
Shoaib. Shoaib Akhtar.
He takes 40 paces back before throwing the ball
to build momentum,
and throw the ball so fast that the batsman never sees it!
Do you see those lawyers at the gate?
They roam the grounds of the office just so they get one case.
Just one chance.
But they don't get it.
You have got the chance
to begin your practice right here in this office.
Understand?
So do this, finish your coffee and practice law.
[mellow music]
Is it here?
That's what it shows.
-There? -Yes.
-You stay here. -Yes, I'll be here.
[low, suspenseful music]
Hello?
[tense music builds]
Wow, man!
Such a huge farm!
He's a government servant in the city, and a king in the village!
Good going!
[vessels clatter to the floor]
You're here, you wretch!
Wash the cow,
or she won't give any milk.
Why aren't you speaking?
Has the cat got your tongue?
Where are you going?
Everyone's just sitting around doing nothing. Fuckers!
You believe I'm just some crazy old woman rambling on!
Hey, Granny!
Is there no one else in the house?
Sattu!
You're here after so many days!
Did you forget your grandma, my love?
How can I forget you, Grandma?
-You shaved your beard! -[groans]
Your grandfather was right.
You're not a man!
You shaved off your beard. Your wife left you.
That's why that whore ran away, didn't she?
Listen, Grandma, she didn't run away because of me.
You worked her to the bone, that's why she ran away.
Shouldn't I have done that and treated her like a princess instead?
Doing the work wasn't the problem.
She was going to have a child.
A child?
In just one month?
Nice, Sattu! Thank God!
You were in a hurry!
Won't you introduce the kid to their great-grandmother?
How can I, Grandma?
She doesn't live with me.
Doesn't she let you meet the child?
That fucking thankless bitch!
Grandma, easy with the curses!
I got this horrible habit from your grandfather.
The drunkard didn't even show me love without cursing the whole time.
He even ruined your life
by marrying you off to that whore!
He left half of his estate to her
and then died on me!
Half his estate!
A property dispute in the guise of a divorce case!
-[in disbelief] Motherfucker! -That's more like it!
[yells] Hey, let's go!
What, where?
Darn cow dung!
Shilpi, you idiot, why don't you answer my calls?
Listen, if I want copy of a will, which government office do I go to?
Tell me quickly. It's urgent.
Advocate Sahab…
And listen, please don't tell Papa. You're my sister, right?
-Hey… where are we going? -Yes?
You want a will, don't you?
You'll get it at the Sub-Registrar Office.
It's close.
Yes. No. I know that much.
-Yes. -I know that.
[Param] Sir, I want a copy of a 14-year-old will.
And you are?
I'm a lawyer. Advocate Param Mathur.
The client has lost his copy. So what do we do?
Do you have the name and the panchikaran number?
Panch--
-Registration number? -Yes.
No, sir. I don't have it, but his name is Jogindar Nath Mishra.
Well, you can do this. Submit a request.
You'll have it in a week.
Sir, we can't wait that long.
Please get it done today.
Nothing happens in a day, Advocate Sahab.
There's something called procedure, right?
You know how it is.
No, I mean, if there's anything I can offer to expedite it…
Offer?
What do you want to offer me?
Whatever you want.
You should take your leave.
Or I'll smack you with my shoe.
-Sorry? I don't understand. -Shoe!
Sir, you cannot talk to me like that.
Fucking asshole! Get out of here!
-Sir… don't swear! -Get out, or I'll hit you!
-[in English] I'm a lawyer. I'll sue you! -Get out! Idiot!
So you've been working here for 15 years?
-Seventeen. -Seventeen.
Family, kids?
They all got to school here.
Advocate Sahab!
Is your work done?
[in Hindi] No. Do you have a problem?
I swear, life's out to get me.
Looks like I only ever meet the last honest officers in this age!
Wait, sir. Honest, my foot!
Uncle, would you call yourself honest?
[clicks tongue]
We want a document. Can you get it?
Come here after seven o'clock.
But… it comes with a fee.
A fee.
How much?
Half a bottle.
-Done. -Come on, have the big one! [sniggers]
Half.
[driver] Sir! Are you alright?
Brother, please keep an eye out. Don't drink and pass out.
[suspenseful music builds]
Satyavan Mishra, 50 percent.
Ratna Mishra, 50 percent.
I found it!
[Param] Just a little.
[driver] Just a little. Pour just a little more. That's it. Enough!
-[song playing on speaker] -Have it, Advocate Sahab.
Great, right?
Look, man.
Two things.
First, ask them to turn off the song.
-Will do. -Second, I said not to call me what?
"Advocate Sahab."
What won't you call me?
Advocate Sahab.
-Thank you. -I'll shut the music.
[phone notification chimes]
[driver] Excuse me.
Please lower the volume.
[mellow, hopeful music]
DIKSHAPAAR DHABA
[Param] You make more money driving cabs in Canada than you do here.
[chuckles] We'll see about that. Here.
Advocate Sahab, give me a 5-star rating.
Again, "Advocate Sahab."
You know, no one in my village has become a lawyer yet.
I know.
In our village, we call someone who stands up for others "Advocate Sahab."
You're fighting to get someone justice, right, Advocate Sahab?
Thank you, Advocate Sahab.
Get going.
[chuckles]
When Papa sees the will, he will say, "I'm proud of you, Param.
Wonderfully investigated!
You were right from the beginning,
and I was always wrong."
[indistinct chatter, laughing]
Hey, Param!
-Thakur sahab, Tyagi sahab. -How are you?
-Come in, Param. -I'm good.
-[Munshi] Would like some tea, Bauji? -No, thank you.
Param, have some.
Munshi ji is going on leave.
You won't get his tea for a few days.
Come on, Bauji. I'll make some and store it in a thermos for you.
[laughs] Munshi ji, it's been three years since you last went home.
So how did you get the good news?
Tell us, Munshi ji.
Well, Bauji, I don't go home, but…
-the missus visits me here often. -[guffawing]
You should go, Munshi ji.
The joy of holding your heir in your arms for the first time
is once in a lifetime, Munshi ji.
-So, you should go. -[Munshi] Yes, Bauji.
Param, how is the practice going?
Did Mathur sahab teach you some of his tricks?
I'm still learning, Uncle.
[Thakur] You know, Param,
you are going to witness your father's hidden talent today.
Mathur sahab, you know that favorite judge of yours?
-[speaks with a lisp] Whith one? -Yes! That one!
-Just perfect! Amazing, man! -[Thakur] That's how he spoke!
Bauji, I'll be back in a minute. I have to take this call.
-What a great man! And his judgments… -Yes.
-[phone vibrates] -[Thakur] Oh!
Yes, JP. Tell me.
[JP] Brother, drop whatever you're doing and come here!
We have our first client!
-Who is the client? -Bhuller! It's Bhuller.
Bhuller? What the-- JP!
I'm leaving right now. Don't let them leave.
-Alright, bye. Bye. -Bye.
Great!
Bauji, something urgent has come up. I'll be back about 45 minutes.
Who will finish all the pending work here?
I'll go later.
[sniggers] Hey, go on. Finish it and come back.
Come on, Mathur sahab!
You're messing with the poor boy.
Oh, man!
[Thakur] Mathur sahab…
Param, do you know what your father did to the judge with a lisp?
Oh, Tyagi ji, talk about yourself!
In the midst of the hearing, you landed a spit of paan on him!
Oh, let it be, Mathur sahab.
-Do you remember the Jaiswal Motor case? -Yes.
[Thakur] When the eyewitness changed his testimony!
-Yes! -Your dear father
let a snake loose during a hearing.
You know which snake?
-Cobra! -Cobra!
-Yes! -[Munshi] Oh, no, no!
Bauji didn't let the snake loose.
There was a lot of overgrowth behind the court.
It just happened to show up.
-[Thakur] I see! -[in English] Lord of act!
[in English] "Act of God," Munshi ji.
[Thakur] But the fact remains, whether you believe it or not,
you are the real god here.
Yes!
[Thakur] We are lucky we never had to go against you.
As they say, going against Mathur sahab is like
-getting yourself screwed! -Getting yourself screwed!
[Tyagi] Yes, Mathur sahab.
[soft melancholic music]
[Param] He is not some god.
He's the devil in the guise of god, who lets snakes loose.
He will turn this will into a boat and drown it.
But I won't let that happen,
no matter what I have to do.
I have to courier this.
[man] Sixty rupees.
Keep the change.
[JP] Advocate Suraj Beriya. He's my partner.
Yes, so Suraj ji, our dhaba…
our grandfather Nand Lal Bhullar ji started it 40 years ago.
Back then, there was a goldsmith by the name Harbansh Singh,
from whom he borrowed 38,000 rupees.
-Our father returned the money to him. -Yes.
But now the goldsmith's son claims that the dhaba belongs to him as well…
-Do you believe it? -and he wants a share of the profits.
Does he have a document, a receipt, or anything to support his claim?
Well, he had a notice sent to us.
Here you go.
Here's Grandpa's fingerprint.
Bhullar sahab, it's a baseless demand.
They have nothing.
We can wrap this up in one hearing.
-[Bhullar] In one hearing! -Yes.
Suraj ji, if that happens,
you will get free butter chicken for life.
True.
Suraj ji, seeing your confidence puts my mind at ease.
Don't worry at all. This will be resolved. Okay?
Okay.
So I'll send you an advance this evening.
[in English] Anytime, sir. No problem.
-Shall we? -Let's go.
JP…
[singing name teasingly]
[in Hindi] Are you insane?
JP, what did I do?
Who tells the client that it's a straightforward case?
We won't get our fees until you scare the client.
Look, JP, it is what it is. Why lie?
Just think about it! If we impress the Bhullars, we'll get plenty of clients.
And how will we manage expenses until then?
We'll handle it.
Today, we won the client's confidence.
Then we'll win their hearts, and soon, the whole world!
I just bought the latest judgment book. Motherfucker, it costs 2,160 rupees!
Advocate Japtap Thakur ji, how long are you going to stay mad?
We got our first client today. We're getting an advance this evening.
That calls for a party.
-Come on. -No!
-Come on, man! -No!
Come on.
I love you, bro.
Sorry. There's no scent in this one.
[snickers]
If every flower had a scent…
Wow!
If every flower had a scent
Every fart would have a stench too
[both laugh]
If I had law in my heart
Maybe my father would have loved me
He does. Your father does love you.
He loves both you and me.
He does.
Param.
You know what the client said today?
He said…
"Suraj ji…"
He actually called me "Suraj ji," man.
He said, "Suraj ji, seeing your confidence puts my mind at ease."
Wow!
I still feel at peace in my heart, man.
Bro, you know, if you were my father's son…
-he would've probably been really happy. -Bro, I am!
I am his son…
and you're my brother.
You're my brother!
[JP] Lollipops are here, brothers!
Bro, he's not my brother!
-Where the hell did you find him? -Bro!
You know what I was thinking?
The moment you go to Canada, find yourself a sister-in-law.
Because your boy's seriously lonely.
-That's fair. But, JP, tell me something. -Yes.
If I get married, won't you end up a widower?
Yeah, right. My snake dances to your flute. Isn't that right?
What the hell are you saying?
-[clicks tongue] -[both laugh]
JP, no offense, but you're a lawyer.
This guy? A lawyer?
JP, how do you spell "lawyer"?
Law… yer!
Lawyer!
This rascal passed college by copying off me.
That's bullshit!
Ask him.
He turned into this big-ass scholar burying his nose in books day and night,
but who brought in the client?
Oh, JP, you flea on my sack!
-You brought him, man. -Bro…
You did. You brought him.
No, you're brilliant too.
-What's that? What's that moving? -It's the phone vibrating. Wait.
Here, bro! Lullar's calling!
[singing name teasingly]
One second. Let me answer it.
Hello, Lull-- Bhullar sir, namaste.
Namaste.
He called him Lullar! [chuckles]
-Yes. -[Bhullar] Hello?
Who's this? I got a missed call from this number.
This is me, Japtap, the advocate.
We had spoken earlier about sending the advance today.
Yes, Japtap!
-That's right-- -Look, we spoke to our family lawyer.
He said the case isn't that simple. It could get messy.
Maybe your partner doesn't have enough experience.
If I need you in the future, I'll let you know.
Sure, sure.
So, Advocate Sahab,
you wrapped up the case in a single hearing?
JP, their lawyer's fucking them over.
The case was actually super simple. There was nothing in it.
Everyone's a dumbass except you, motherfucker!
And the biggest dumbass is me!
I'm the one handling the client, the office, the networking.
You fucked it up, asshole!
JP, it was just one case.
-More will come. -That wasn't just one case.
It was Bhullar's case! We could've lived off that one for years!
If you had any brains,
you wouldn't still be an assistant after eight damn years, asshole!
-Suraj… -Look, JP, I'm not your assistant.
-Calm down. -Okay?
-Quit running your mouth, fucker! -Let it go.
-Just drop it. Let it go. -One minute. Hold on a second, Param!
You're not the only one who lost a client.
I did too, okay?
And everything I said was the truth.
I'm not about practicing lies and trickery.
Hey, saintly son of a bitch!
Go stick yourself up Mathur's ass then!
Chill, bro.
Don't bring my father into this, alright?
Get your ass to Canada!
Piss off, Mathur's ball sack! Asshole!
-I told you not to talk shit about Bauji! -How dare you touch me?
-Motherfucker, never badmouth Bauji! -Suraj, let him go!
-I told you, didn't I? -Let go of my collar, you piece of shit!
-[JP] Motherf… -[Param] Suraj, let him go!
[Suraj] He's a fucking idiot!
-Get the hell out of here, asshole! -Shut the fuck up, asshole!
That Mathur is a piece of shit!
-You're a piece of shit! Motherfucker! -Get lost!
Piss off, motherfucker!
-Suraj, let him go. He's a fucking idiot! -Let go of me!
-Let him go. -[Suraj] I won't spare you, motherfucker!
-[Param] What are you doing, man? -[Suraj] Don't run, fucker!
-Motherfucker! Never badmouth Bauji! -[JP] You motherfucker!
-Fucker! -Go fuck yourself!
I'll smash your fucking faces in!
-Shut up, motherfucker! -Piss off!
[Param] What the hell are you doing?!
[vehicle engine whirs]
[somber music]
Sorry, man.
[Harish] Param?
-Param! -[Param] Coming, Papa.
Yes?
Come here.
I'm going to bed. I'll see you tomorrow.
Just five minutes, son. Come on.
Yes?
Today…
Salve sahab from Delhi called.
When he asked about you, I told him, "He wants to assist you."
Assist him for a year…
and you'll see what a damn good lawyer you'll become!
Papa, I'm already assisting you.
Son, he's a Supreme Court lawyer.
And he agreed.
He said, "Have him pass the bar and send him to Delhi."
Papa, I don't want to go to Delhi.
What are you going to do here in Sarjanpur?
And if you don't go far from me, how will you move forward?
I am going far away from you, Papa.
I'm going to Canada.
I got my PR. I'm leaving in two weeks.
Why?
Because you're here, Papa.
[shaky voice] Do you remember that guy from my school, Varun?
Do you know what his father was called?
Varun's father.
What about Nitesh, Meena, and Tarun?
Their father was Nitesh, Meena, and Tarun's father.
But what was Param's father called?
Param's father's was known as Advocate Harish Mathur.
Papa, I just…
I just don't get those parents
who start planning their kid's launch the moment they're born!
Did you give birth to a rocket, Papa?
Son…
I wasn't building a rocket.
I was just trying to make sure…
life wouldn't be hard for you.
Hard?
[in English] Are you serious, Papa?
[in Hindi] Did you ever even notice when I was struggling?
I'll admit, you never let me feel like I lacked anything.
I wanted a video game, you got it for me.
I wanted a bike, you brought one home.
The TV went from 21 inches to 36 to 48 to 60.
But did you ever watch anything with me on that TV, Papa?
Forget that. Just tell me one thing.
Can you name even one of my childhood friends?
Tell me.
You can't. But I bet you remember
the names of all six generations of Tony Singh's family.
You know what, forget that.
When was the last time you hugged me?
Today you're going to answer me. When was the last time you hugged me?
Tell me.
You don't remember, do you? I don't either.
[in English] And I'm so sorry to say, Papa.
[in Hindi] I'm sorry, but I don't want that lawyer's neckband,
I don't want your legacy…
and I don't want you.
Child…
if you had so many complaints…
why didn't you ever say anything?
[shaky voice] Because you're a god, Papa.
Tell me…
who was I supposed to complain to about this god, Papa?
Son…
I knew you didn't like law.
But if you don't like me…
then I guess there's nothing left to talk about.
I'm going to bed.
-[melancholic music] -[sighs]
[music fades out]