New Delhi: 'Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai' is a quest for justice. A valiant mission of humble lawyer Poonam Chand Solanki (Manoj Bajpayee) for the sake of a minor girl caught up in a battle with a self-styled godman. The movie, which is loosely based on real-life events, tells the story of a five-year legal battle to bring down a powerful Baba (Surya Mohan Kulshreshtha), who is charged with infringing the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act of 2012 (POCSO) and imprisoned after a 16-year-old girl named Nu Singh (Adrija Roy). The case centres on the fight the advocate waged in court against solicitors like Ram Jethmalani in the well-known incident where many witnesses were attacked and lost their lives.
In a society where a demon takes on the identity of a godman, the young girl bravely speaks out against him. While an FIR is being filed against the offender in the first scene of the movie, a large crowd can be heard chanting in support of the godman. Later, as the court case continues, we notice once more how, at times, mindless faith in society wins over humanity. The family of Nu employs PC Solanki to represent them after being taken advantage of by other attorneys. The movie portrays the challenges of a lawyer taking on a prominent case with honesty and is, if anything, extremely moving.
A female police officer asks the victim to hide her face with a dupatta after she files a report, a subtly pointed hint at victim shaming prevalent in our society at large. The exchanges between Nu and Solanki, in which the latter acts as a rock of courage for the fearful girl, are nuanced and poignant. Furthermore, there is a subliminal implication that victims should be treated better than the way our culture actually does. The writer winds up the arc of the narrative in a scene where Solanki asks Nu to take off the dupatta placed over her face and tie it around her waist because the battle will last for a while.
Despite the 132-minute runtime, the narrative does not drag or break the viewer's focus on it. Courtroom dramas have a tendency to turn preachy sometimes. The one-man show that is Apoorv Singh Karki's drama film, however, rests heavily on Manoj Bajpayee's stellar performance and taut direction. What will give those watching shivers is how the actor who plays the true hero of the story portrays the character with empathy and reverence. Even though the movie didn't have an ensemble cast, the casting was perfect. One needs to applaud the supporting cast, who gave effortless performances to back the lead and elevate the film. Each and every performer, from Adrija as Nu Singh to Surya Mohan Kulshrestha as Baba, gave an impressive performance.
Deepak Kingrani and Apoorv Singh Karki, the writer and director duo, showcase that less is more in a very engrossing and compelling courtroom drama without the use of overdone melodrama. It was almost expected to end such dramas with a solid, hard-hitting monologue, so that is one thing they weren't putting off. However, we can't rue that formulaic element when it's delivered by an outstanding actor like Manoj, given that he leaves no room for criticism.
Throughout the years, there have been plenty of courtroom dramas, but lately, just a handful of them have been able to leave a lasting impression. Bajpayee's 'Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai', which is an homage to the heroism of Advocate PC Solanki, unquestionably ranks among the genre's most potent movies. When watching a movie like this, the tension that builds in the courtroom and the lasting effect of piercing dialogues are, however, most effectively felt inside the dark theatre. Adrija's cries of agony to Manoj's triumphant speech as they manoeuvred through terrible situations, send chills down the viewer's spine. For those aspects, the film's climax, in particular, demands to be seen on a big screen.
'Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai' releases on Zee5 on May 23, 2023.
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