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Film: ‘Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai’
Cast: Manoj Bajpayee, Vipin Sharma, Surya Mohan Kulshrestha, Aditi Sinha Adrija, Ikhlaq Ahmed Khan, Balaji Lakshminarasimhan, Abhijeet Lahiri and Vivek Tandon
Author: Deepak Kingrani
Director: Apoorva Singh Karki
Release Date: 23 May 2023
OTT: Zee5
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Ye dilaaye fatah, law hai iska dhandha, ye hair ab ka banda’. He will give you victory, his business is law, he is God’s servant. When ‘Sirf Ek Banda Kafi Hai’ starts and we see Manoj Bajpayee for the first time, this lovely song is heard in the background. This banda is really special as the song aptly describes. This film is actually allegedly related to the life of Asaram and it is based on the life of the lawyer named PC Solanki who, after a long legal battle, got Asaram punished for raping a girl in his ashram.
A vulnerable flame confronting a powerful storm:
Is it possible for a common man to fight against a personality with great political and religious clout, survive and finally win? In Indian society, where the status of a religious Baba is considered beyond criticism, is it even possible for a small lawyer of a Sessions Court to declare war against him?
Solanki is like a feeble lamp in the world of appalling hypocrisy and deceit. Outwardly, he appears fragile, but has tremendous inner strength. There is a cacophony of power and money all around and as a single individual he protects his lamp of truth and inner firmness with commendable determination. He keeps its flame burning till the end, till the victim of the baba’s lecherous designs gets justice. Often, we ask whether a single person can fight against the whole system. The film answers this question in the affirmative.
Manoj Bajpayee plays the role of PC Solanki and the entire film is allegedly based on the true story of Asaram. This is what makes the film very relevant to our times. A number of so-called spiritual babas in India have been found to be involved in heinous offences, but hardly anyone has the courage to speak against them.
The courage of filmmakers and actors also needs to be appreciated, because in our society everything is forgivable for a so-called religious person who has become a baba or a swami. Especially if a small girl from a lower middle-class family has starts protesting against him, then a sizeable chunk of a male dominated society begins to find faults with her character. This makes her battle even more difficult. Given such societal realities, making such a film is also an act of courage.
Informative Movie about POCSO
The film also gives an insight into the nuances of the POCSO Act. It reminds viewers again and again how this law was made in 2012 only to prevent sexual exploitation of children and how this law is being misused to defend serious offenders by criminal lawyers too. How the criminal’s lawyers try to find loopholes in this law and how a skilled lawyer can counter their vicious intentions by seeing through them. Every girl child of this country and their parents must be aware of the POCSO Act. Predators are roaming in the society in different guises and this law acts as a strong weapon for the victims.
Story of courageous girl
The story begins with Nu, a minor girl, and her parents who visit the Kamal Nagar police station in Delhi. In the police station, they get a case registered against a baba for sexually abusing a minor. After this the police arrests Baba. Baba’s devotees get enraged and the first lawyer tries to settle the matter through negotiations in which he plans to get a hefty amount for influencing the parents and not oppose the baba. The girl’s parents now take the help of PC Solanki, who is Manoj Bajpayee himself. In the end, he defeats even the most senior lawyers in this who fight on behalf of the baba.
Nu, played by Adrija Singha, has done a fine job as a rape victim. Her role is a message to women to be courageous in a unthinking, unfeeling, callous society. His parents constantly supporting him in her struggle and this also conveys a meaningful message to the audience.
Solanki’s personality has many layers
Manoj Bajpayee in the role of Solanki acts as a connecting thread that binds the entire film. At home, he keeps instrucing his elderly mother to keep her blood pressure under control and not worry too much about him. At the same time, he takes full care of his adopted son, Buddy. Father and son both address each other as buddy and this unconventional aspect of their relationship touches one’s heart.
Solanki seems to be working only for truth and love. When Baba’s representatives offer a bribe of 20 crores for him, he humiliates them badly and drives them away. Solanki’s cordial relations with son and mother bring out the soft side of his personality. But as a lawyer he is very well informed and aggressive too, when the situation so demands. Not that Solanki is free from fear. When Baba’s goons are continuously eliminating the witnesses by killing them, he also feels fear, but this fear never affects his work in the least.
While accepting the case, the victim’s father asks him about his fee. Solanki only asks for ‘daughter’s smile’. This scene is quite touching. The film states very clearly that no superman is needed to change the world. The person who kickstarts his old scooter in the morning, the person who reaches the court and forgets to remove the price tag on his new shirt, can also become an extraordinary warrior and a hero in any field of life.
True meaning of religion
The film also makes a strong statement about the real meaning of religion. On one hand, there is a so-called religious baba who gives perpetual gyan about peace and morality to the people but in reality, he is a shameless rapist, who makes minor girls victims of his lust. And on the other hand, there is a simple lawyer who is working hard in his work, is idealistic and is leading his life defying a brutal world that dances to the tune of those having power and money.
Religion is not in speech and attire but in conduct. This is the message that Manoj Bajpayee conveys through his character. Manoj Bajpayee regularly recites prayers. He is an ardent devotee of Shiva teaches his child to fight the demons within. He is religious in the true sense, away from any ostentation and unnecessary rituals.
Manoj Bajpayee is an extraordinary actor
Taking a closer look at the acting, Manoj yet again comes across as an exceptional actor. In the last scene of the film, when argument in the case is in its final stage and the time for judgement is approaching, Manoj’s facial expressions are out of this world! Manoj is at the pinnacle of his skills in the last court scene. He expresses his emotional outbursts through the movement of a muscle on the right side of his face. Immediately after this the camera pans towards his fingers and the movements of his finger say a lot of what he said earlier through his long dialogue. At that point one is reminded of the great Hollywood actor Denzel Washington who uses his lips and eyes a lot while acting.
Manoj Bajpayee plays a lawyer working in Jodhpur in the film and his Hindi with a touch of Rajasthani accent is another example of his excellent acting. It is impossible to say anything about whether Manoj played a better role in Gali Gulian or Aligarh or in this film. No one can tell when and what will emerge from under magician Manoj Bajpayee’s hat.
Good Direction
Apoorva Singh Karki’s direction is spot on. He is an amazing director. This proves that a powerful and controversial story can be depicted even in a very simple way. Due appreciation should also be given to the producer of this film, Vinod Bhanushali, who could dare to bring such a story to the fore. If the producer doesn’t have the courage to invest money in such stories, how will these stories be made; how will people be aware.
This film must be seen. More such films should be made exposing so-called religious babas. This is a very important film for today’s times. It has strong social messages and it grapples with an ugly reality of our society with great force and tremendous clarity.
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint.
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