Movie Review: Manjunath

Cast: Sasho Satyiish Saarthy, Yashpal Sharma, Seema Biswas, Kishor Kadam, Anjorie Alagh, Faisal Rashid

Director: Sandeep A Varma


Manjunath , by director Sandeep Varma is a laudatory effort in telling an inspirational story of truth and justice, the kind we need to see to believe and continue the crusade.

Manjunath Shanmugham, an IIM Lucknow graduate, was a whistleblower who went after the gangs in UP that sold adulterated diesel. An Indian Oil employee who was brutally murdered for standing up to the oil mafia in Lakhimpur Kheri, his is a story against corruption that is especially relevant in the times we live in.

The movie is based on his story and director Sandeep Varma aptly casts newcomer Sasho Satyiish Saarthy as Manjunath and throws in a strong supporting cast of Yaspal Sharma, Kishore Kadam, Seema Biswas and Divya Dutta.

The first half of the movie builds the tempo of the expose and the second half is laden with procedural investigation, the court case, the rallying for support, and finally the conviction of the bad guys. The interesting bit is, although one knows what’s coming, one is still prompted to watch.

Perhaps the director could have delved into the backstory of Manjunath and the other characters in the film. And although random figures like a 50 lakh bribe and a 20000 crore scam are randomly thrown, the modus operandi of the adulteration is not really explained and remains a blur. The story keeps implying that ‘bigger hands are involved’, but except Yashpal Sharma (who plays Pawan Kumar Mittal’s part, the pump owner who gets arrested), no other names come to the fore.

In as far as the earnest retelling of a real life account goes, there seem some gaps  leading to second guessing like it were a whodunit. There are some proverbial red herrings – of Manjunath’s suggested schizophrenia and delusion, the rather patchy relationship between Manjunath and his lady love and best friend (one wonders why they didn’t step in to get justice), the unnecessary elaboration of his being ‘lower-caste’ and getting the prestigious IIM seat ‘for free’

But there are some great moments, like the brilliantly underplayed anguish of Manjunath’s parents , played by Seema Biswas and Kishore Kadam (typically, the scene where he takes on the mike to address students at IIM post Manjunath’s death and the one where she voices her fears about her son’s job to his boss)

Although devoid of cinematic finesse, this is movie that must be watched for the larger message. Sandeep Varma needs to be applauded for choosing to tell this story as opposed to any other. Because stories about truth and humanity and standing up for what you believe in, that, although seem jaded in today’s times, are reminders we all need from time to time. Manjunath is one such movie. Go watch it and tell your children about it.