Manoj Bajpai On The Stunning Impact  Of His  Role  As The Righteous Lawyer In Sirf Ek Banda Kafi  Hai

Manoj Bajpai On The  Stunning Impact  Of His  Role  As The Righteous Lawyer In Sirf Ek Banda Kafi  Hai

Sirf Ek Banda Kafi Hai has become more than a film.It is a movement towards justice for the oppressed. Do you agree?

Oh yes, you are  so right. We made the film with complete passion conviction and love. But at the end  of the day, it is very difficult to gauge how people will react to your effort. Luckily for us,this film has hit home. They’ve welcomed  the film with open arms. We are  so overwhelmed  we don’t know how to respond to this. Yes, the film has triggered off a kind  of movement for justice towards the weak section especially children who are assaulted.\

When you were offered the film did you sense its importance or was it just another interesting part?

 I can’t take  the  credit for the  film’s success. We  always  thought we had a a good story to tell and we all wanted  to be part of it. Children’s safety has always  occupied my mind  as an actor. Even when I was  doing theatre in my early  days  as an actor, I worked closely with several NGOs for  children. We wanted  to make a  significant  film on child abuse. But we never thought  it would become  a  revolution not only in India  but from the  diaspora outside. I am getting calls  and  messages  from within and  outside India. It is overwhelming.

People are saying you have an alternative career as a lawyer waiting for you.Did you prepare to play this part?

(Laughs) Yes, I know. I am getting tweets from people asking to take up their cases. That is so hilarious. I  am  requesting them  not to hire  me. They are certainly going to lose their cases(laughs) .Vipin Sharma  who plays the public prosecutor offered to take  up  one of the cases offered to me….I tell you, it is hilarious!The response and love for my character  of the lawyer Solanki is overwhelming. After  thirty years of acting  I  still  get  moved when a performance is praised. But after so  many  years one can’t be jumping with enthusiasm.

Did you meet Solanki the real-life lawyer whom you  play ?  As an actor what do you feel about this common man’s uncommon heroism?

Actually I decided at  the start  not to meet Mr Solanki. The producers  had the  rights to his  book . I felt it won’t be right to copy or imitate  him. It would  completely defeat the purpose  of the endeavour. I had to create my own character  based on all the research   of the  team. I also used my own imagination to create the character.

So  you didn’t meet the  real Solanki at all?

I met the real Solanki only two days  before the shooting. Then  I    saw some things in his character that I tried to inculcate   into my character  at the last minute. In totality  you nay see many facets  of the real Mr Solanki in me. But I tried  not to  make it obvious. The idea of a courageous  lawyer and good human being had to come across.When  you do a real character  like I did in Aligarh and now Sirf Ek Banda… people   don’t know them.So I have to show them the ideology of   the person without mimicking him.

Do you like playing  real heroes?

I love the idea of  portraying common people   , the  ordinary heroes  who are battling everyday, if not in the courtroom then outside. They have so much to battle every hour. There is  still  a smile on their faces.At times they stumble and fall. But they just get up and continue their struggle. Their resilience is what I love about them.And that’s what inspires me  as an actor  to keep moving. They don’t  stop.Neither  do I. These are super-heroes without capes.