Quick Take: A well intentioned effort.
Performers: Sasho Satyiish Saarthy, Yashpal Sharma, Seema Biswas, Kishor Kadam, Anjorie Alagh, Faisal Rashid
Director: Sandeep Varma A
Manjunath, director Sandeep Varma is a complimentary effort to tell an inspiring story of truth and justice, the kind we need to see to believe and continue the crusade.
Manjunath Shanmugham, a graduate of IIM Lucknow, was an informant who was after gangs in UP selling adulterated diesel. An Indian Oil employee who was brutally murdered for defending the oil mafia in Lakhimpur Kheri, his is a story against corruption, which is especially relevant in the times in which we live
The film is based on its history and director Sandeep Varma rightly casts newcomer as Sasho Satyiish Saarthy Manjunath and throws in a supporting cast of yaspal Sharma, Kishore Kadam, Seema Biswas and Divya Dutta.
The first half of the film to expose the tempo builds and the second half is full of procedural investigation, the trial, the meeting for support, and, finally, the conviction of the bad. The interesting part is that although we know what’s coming, one still prompted to look.
Perhaps the director could have delved into the backstory of Manjunath and the other characters in the film. And although the numbers randomly, as a bribe of 50 million lakh rupees and 20,000 scam are thrown randomly, the modus operandi of the adulteration is not really explained and remains a blur. The story follows implying that ‘the bigger hands are involved, “but unless Yashpal Sharma (who plays Pawan Kumar Mittal of the owner of the pump is stopped), no other name that comes to the fore.
As for honest account of a real life account goes, seems some gaps that lead to second guessing like a detective story. There are some proverbial red herrings – schizophrenia suggested by Manjunath and deceit, rather unequal relationship between Manjunath and his lady love and his best friend (one wonders why not intervene for justice), unnecessary elaboration of his be “lower-caste” and get the prestigious IIM headquarters ‘free’
But there are some great moments, like the anguish brilliantly underplayed Manjunath’s parents, played by Seema Biswas and Kishore Kadam (typically, the scene that takes the microphone to address the student’s death and that Manjunath IIM message in which he expresses his fears about the work of his son to his head)
Although it lacks the finesse of the film, this is the film that should be seen for the larger message. Sandeep Varma needs to be applauded for choosing to tell this story unlike any other. Because stories about truth and humanity and defending what you believe, if it seems jaded at times today, are reminders that we all need from time to time. Manjunath is one such film. Go watch and tell their children about it.