The gripping courtroom drama Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai recently premiered on streaming site ZEE5. A teenage girl files a police complaint against an elderly selfstyled holy man, who she alleges sexually assaulted her and he is arrested.
A righteous lawyer takes on the challenging case against an all-powerful man with many devotees, but it isn’t long before witnesses start to disappear, and his life is in danger. What follows is a long battle for justice.
An already gripping story is made more interesting by the fact that it is based on actual events. The engaging movie shows less can be more as it does away with overblown Bollywood bluster and replaces it with a story that is close to reality.
At the heart of it is a protective figure trying to get a young girl justice against all the odds. At a time when the self-styled godmen have a lot of political power in India, this is also a brave piece of filmmaking bringing a hidden secret out in the open.
The engine that drives this film is a fantastic performance from Manoj Bajpayee. He flies high in every scene with an almost superhero like role, where he is the relatable everyday man at home and a crusading lawyer in the courtroom.
He has a magnetic screen presence and is particularly brilliant in the courtroom scenes, with explosive dialogue delivery, including a memorable monologue towards the end. There could have been more of the victim in the movie, including all the emotional trauma she has suffered and the aftermath.
That doesn’t take away from the impact this surprisingly good courtroom drama makes.
The film retains its focus and is much better than most Bollywood films released in recent years. Don’t be surprised if Bajpayee is nominated for multiple awards after a stunning turn that confirms his brilliance.
Sandhya Suri poses during a photocall for the film "Santosh" at the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 21, 2024. 