Mohan Joshi Hazir Ho!


Mohan Joshi Hazir Ho! is a 1984 Hindi art film, made by Saeed Akhtar Mirza, based on his own story, during the Parallel Cinema period of Indian cinema.
The film is a comic satire on a judicial system, where cases drag on for decades, where plaintiffs either die or lose hope and money, while the corrupt run scot free, thanks to their nexus with corrupt lawyers.
It won the 1984 National Film Award for Best Film on Family Welfare.

Plot

An elderly couple, Mohan Joshi and his wife, sues their landlord for not maintaining their 'collapsing' apartment building. For this, they hire two cunning lawyers, while Rohini Hattangadi is the opposition lawyer.
The court case drags on for years and the lawyers milk the old couple dry, while they become rich. Back home in the society, the old couple is ridiculed for fighting the landlord, but they fight on nevertheless.
In the end, when the judge comes to check the condition of the chawl, the landlord's men prop up the place, thus convincing the judge that all is well. Finally, Joshi gathers all his strength and pulls down the temporary supports put up by the men causing the building to collapse on himself.

Cast

Mohan Joshi Hazir Ho! was shot at Kamithapura, Bapty Road, and Duncan Road at Mumbai's middle-class Hindu Muslim locality.