“Sirf Ek Banda Kafi Hai” is beyond just a courtroom drama; it makes you think and question.

The film stars the multitalented Manoj Bajpayee (PC Solanki) as a lawyer who is fighting against a self-proclaimed godman who is alleged to have molested a young disciple (Nu). Manoj Bajpayee as a common lawyer is up against the best advocates and legal advisors of the country and the court proceedings have captured the grit beautifully.

        The film is ‘inspired by’ the high-profile conviction of Asaram Bapu, the self-styled godman who was charged and ultimately imprisoned for raping a minor at his ashram in 2013.

The strength of the film is in its simple storyline yet powerful acting by the protagonist. It captures the struggle of the lawyer in its raw sense as he is determined to fight for justice. Manoj Bajpayee's acting is commendable and enough to make this film a gripping tale. His craft shines through the film, making us believe yet again why he is one of the finest actors of the industry.

        The film veers between various court proceedings of the case over the years. These proceedings are factual and turn out to be the USP of the film. It takes a certain craft to understand that the treatment of the film doesn’t always have to be noisy and that you have to tone it down to make a statement – Manoj Bajpayee brilliantly executes this. It is one of the films that defeats all the tropes of commercial courtroom dramas and paves a new (read compelling) way of storytelling. Special mention to the casting director of the film for getting the brilliant supporting cast who are true to their character. The whole ensemble adds so many dimensions to a simple narrative making the film impactful. Small characters apart from the protagonist make the film a big hit.

        For me as a researcher the best part of the film was the balance between the emotional and pragmatic depth in the narration. The film effectively conveys the horrors of the heinous crime within the realms of law and not just pure emotions. The storyline is simple yet keeps you glued till the end. Not to forget the brilliant direction in the film, especially the use of lightning to heighten the drama and emotions in the film. The mellow music in the film enhances the storytelling and the dialogues are so relatable. It is one of such films that stress upon the power of cinema and how with music, powerful performance and a compelling message you can great a cinematic experience that goes beyond the cinema and stays with you for days.

It’s a must watch if you are a fan of courtroom dramas and a testament of how one man is enough to fight for the right.

From Gangs of Wasseypur to Gali Guliyan to Joram to Sirf Ek Banda Kafi Hai this actor has yet again proven his versatility.

        It is laudable to see how the Solanki prepares the victim (a minor) for the courtroom drama while being empathetic which is a rarity in the films of this genre. Small details in the film like when the lawyer tells the victim to remove her veil symbolizing that she is safe with him and she shouldn’t be afraid or ashamed of anything. The relation between the lawyer and the victim is symbolic of a comfortable relation similar to a father and daughter relationship. It is brilliant how such a subject is handled with sensitivity and no OTT screaming drama. The film also highlights how the lawyer fears for his life and the safety of his family while going through the proceedings whether it’s the bike car chase of him dreaming about his assassination. These shots portray how a man who is standing tall with a facade of fearlessness is human too. Solanki isn’t shown flawless; you see him gushing with fan moments with reputed lawyers fighting against him for the Godman. The irony and dark humor has been cleverly used in the film while he is up against Ram Jethmalani to Salman Khursheed and Subramanian Swamy. In awe with his opponents he asks for a selfie and tries to copy their body language while banging the table to make a point in one of the proceedings – details like these are beyond characters and more of the actors performance. The balance from a fan admiration for big shot lawyers to a man fighting for justice shines through the storyline with so many smooth transitions. The nuances of him as a religious and God fearing man who is fighting for the right subtly compares him with the Godman and establishes the fact that religion can been misinterpreted as and when required by people with evil intentions. Solanki’s morality is strong and righteous not because he is the lead or he is religious but because he is an educated and aware person. He hasn’t been shown as a rebel of sorts but like a common man who can still be right and doesn’t need to be a misfit or an outcast. The stoic comparison proves how modern religion is used and guised as per conveniences of the people. On one hand is a self proclaimed Godman who molests his disciples and on the other hand is a common man who uses religion to cite the virtues. Films like these give hope to humanity that you don’t have to fit in the trope of being heroic. For example while he is trying to prepare Nu for the courtroom horrors the next day and judgement of the society in general he makes her understand how she is the culprit for the society because she shattered the ideation of a Godman for the people in general as he is considered next to God and can’t be question on purity.

        The monologue at the end forces you to question the social fabric of the society and stand up for change. I have heard endless monologues especially in courtroom dramas but this one hits differently. It gives you goosebumps first and then leaves you numb. The ending of the film is an obvious one but you don’t repent any part of it. The films could have done with some chiseling in the second half. The cinematography of flashbacks aren’t clean resulting in amateurish shots. The film deserves all the accolades it has been getting. Direction is exceptional, acting is par excellence, pragmatic and well researched film!

        My favorite dialogue from the film is when one of the lawyers says, it ought translated as ‘Baba is a very noble Man. He has millions of followers around the World. He built schools, hospitals, and did a lot for Humanity. Baba is making the World a better place.’ Solanki: ‘Sir making schools and hospitals doesn't give you license to rape na’ and my take from the monologue in the film is there is no sin greater than the sin of an evil in the guise of godman. This dialogue is good for thought.

        Afterthoughts: Why were the best of the best lawyers and legal advisors hell bent to save the godman – money that is important that your values and principles go to a toss?

 

Author is an expert in film studies and currently lives in London. She can be contacted on toyebapandit@icloud.com