Actor Aamir Khan gets front-row seat in CJI D Y Chandrachud’s court

It was a quick lunch at the Supreme Court on Friday.

Lawyers flooded the courtroom of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud to witness the proceedings as one special guest — Aamir Khan — was seated in the front row.

The CJI welcomed Khan saying, “I do not want a stampede in court. But Aamir Khan is here today. He is here for the screening and Kiran Rao, too, will be with us shortly.”

Not far from the actor was attorney general (AG) of India R Venkataramani, “It is a star-studded court today,” he said.

Senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi then quipped, “I am sure he (AG) is referring to you, your lordship.”

Director and producer Kiran Rao and Aamir Khan, in a printed kurta, were at the Supreme Court on Friday to attend a screening of Laapata Ladies.

The communications division of the Supreme Court, on the CJI’s initiative, had organised the screening for all Supreme Court judges, their spouses and members of the registry.

The movie, which tells the tale of two lost ladies, was shown in the auditorium of the top court’s administrative building complex.

A circular of the court said that screening of the movie is part of the activities organised during the 75th year of the establishment of the Supreme Court of India.

The initiative is part of the CJI’s year-round gender sensitisation programme at the top court. The idea for this screening reportedly came from his wife, Kalpana Das, after she and her staff had watched the film.

“As part of the activities organised during the 75th year of the establishment of the Supreme Court of India, the movie ‘Laapataa Ladies’, which is based on the theme of gender equality, will be screened on Friday, August 9. Kiran Rao, who has directed the movie, and Aamir Khan, the producer, will also be present during the screening,” the circular had stated.

This is not the first time that the CJI has expressed his love for cinema on similar themes.

In 2021, he said Malayalam film director Jeo Baby’s The Great Indian Kitchen was ‘poignantly engaging’.

The CJI has given judgment on many women’s issues — he was on the five-judge Bench that allowed the entry of women in the menstruating age group inside the Sabarimala temple.