Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai [Zee5] Movie Review: Manoj Bajpayee lifts this powerful, Courtroom drama

Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai is a hard hitting and gritty courtroom drama about an infamous case that shook the entire nation, where a self styled Godman (The character shown in film is strikingly similar to Asaram Bapu) is accused of molestating a minor girl inside a room in his Ashram. The Baba was convicted of rape and is currently in jail serving his life imprisonment as per court's verdict.

The film starts off with a minor girl along with her parents reaching a Delhi Police Station and file a police complaint against a baba, who the family is a devotee for years but Baba is accused to have phycially moltested the minor girl one night in his Ashram. Since this seems to be a high profile case, the female police officer takes a cognizance of the offence and takes the girl for medical examination and subsequently an FIR is filed following Baba's arrest, leading to unrest by his followers in most part of the nation, while they battle it out with Media and Police. 

The trial sessions start in Jodhpur Sessions court and the courtroom drama starts where baba's laywers fail to get him bail in one after the another hearings, thanks to a very strong defence put by Public Prosecutor P C Solanki(Manoj Bajpyaee). What follows after is more or less we know as a case, but what forms the crux of the story is the courtroom arguments. There are witnesses being wiped off in broad daylight, one even in court premises, but PP Solanki stays strong despite all the threats and attempts to even kill him. 

The film is more or less a narrative of the infamous case with characters shown having a striking similarity to some of the famous faces such as politicians Mr Subarmaniam Swamy, Mr. Salman Khurshid and Mr Ram jethmalani, who during the course of the case hearings, represented or tried to represent Baba. 

As a film, the length is close to 2.10 hours but impressive direction by Apporv Singh Karki and Writing by Deepak Kingrani keeps you engaged with a plothera of arguments and some hard hitting as well as emotional moments as well. I didn't find any particular scene irrelavant or out of context for that matter. 

Its the performances that lit up an already good film. Adrija as minor victim girl Nu singh, is a relavation. She has got less screen time but she makes complete use of it. She manages to impress in her scenes with stalwart Manoj Bajpayee and even make you leave moist eyed. 

Bipin Sharma is another good actor who requires no introduction. AS a defence lawyer, he puts up a really good neck to neck fight against Manoj and compliemnts him equally while their arguments and antics making this courtroom drama more interesting and not boring. To have a great positive shine, you need to an equally great negative and Bipin sharma exactly does that and with ease. 

Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha as Baba is shown having a striking similarity to the actual culprit Asaram Bapu. Though he doesn't get too much to speak but he leaves a mark with his subtle act, as required from the character. Kaustav Sinha as Guddu does well as Manoj's assitant. 

Last but not the least, I don't know what to speak of Manoj Bajpyaee as public prosecutor P. C. Solanki, as I am short of words. He truly justifes the title in acting sense 'Sirf Ek Banda kaafi Hai'(Just one person is enough). He is on screen for 90% of the scenes and he doesn't let you take your eyes off him. Thats the power of an actor called Manoj Bajpayee. The courtroom arguments scenes will give you goosebumps and he sleepwalks some of the wittiest punchlines as if you are watching him LIVE. 

I must mention of his chemistry with various characters shown in the film like the victim minor girl. A couple of scenes of these two will make your eyes moist. Its beautifully portrayed as how he understands the pain of a minor girl, who has been molested by an old man whom she considers God, and how he protects her in court at times is something your feel the empathetic side of it. 

Even his chemistry with his mother(I would mention One particular scene where he cries and is comforted by his mother), his son, his junior Bittoo or for that matter, with his fellow lawyers, how he tries to tease them while staying in his limits, is something not acting, I would say. Its sheer brilliance! Totally Clap and Whistle Worthy stuff! Take a Bow, Manoj Sir! 

I have just one dream in this life. I was not able to meet the legend Mr Irrfaan Khan due to his untimely demise in this lifetime but I do want to meet Mr Manoj bajpayee and another legend in the making Vijay Verma at least once. God Help me! :)

Does the film have any flaws? Not really flaws but the film shows something that you have already know and seen in details in web series ASHRAM(quite a similar topic though). ALso, the film relies mostly on courtroom arguments then going into length or even discussing about more of what happened outside court and resists to touch base upon some of the other cases (like school children missing from Baba's schools or found dead etc) that would more weightage to Baba's wrongdoings, but then thats director and writers' perspective that they are focussed on one particular case that actually helped to nail Baba and leading to his arrest.

Overall, the film is a hard hitting courtroom drama that manages to keep you glued with its narrative which is lifted by superlative performances by Lead Manoj bajpayee and good fight put up by Bipin sharma. If the narravtive had gone into little more details, this would have been much more interesting(Thats purely my view) but that doesn't make the film less compelling for that matter. Its a MUST MUST WATCH! whether you knoow the story already or not but what happened inside the court is something that you would want to know and thats what will keep you engaged. 

WMR Rating : 3.5/5 (an extra 0.5 for one man called Manoj Bajpayee who lifts the film on his shoulders like no one else)

Review Credits: Deepak Chaudhary (Vitamin DC)