Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai

Critical response

Mint Lounge wrote " Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai review: Unlovely and uncomplicated. The screen slopes from left to right. The décor is very Wicked Witch of the West: black and brown and green. Nothing is clear, the eye goes nowhere, it’s a mess.^[16] Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai received critical acclaim from critics. The Hindu wrote "Despite a pumped-up narrative style, the film looks realistic, shot in life-size courtrooms and streets. And there are some memorable juxtapositions, all of them featuring Solanki."^[17] Bollywood Hungama wrote "Apoorv Singh Karki's direction is first-rate. He makes good use of the powerful script and dialogues and adds the required drama to the narrative. The way he has helmed simple scenes and enhanced the impact is praiseworthy, like Baba’s arrest, Baba greeting his followers and distributing sweets outside the court, Solanki narrating the road accident story etc."^[18] Grace Cyril for India Today rated the movie 3 stars out of 5 and wrote "With a narrative so sensitive, the screenplay has been handled with the utmost care. There's a scene where a lawyer asks Nu if the godman made her touch his private parts. Even though he is defending the godman, he gets ashamed asking this and the entire court falls silent."^[19]

Deepa Gahlot for Rediff.com rated the film 3.5 stars out of 5 and wrote "Karki deftly balances the emotions of hope and despair and at one level, the film makes the audience feel good, that Nu and Solanki's battle was not in vain."^[20] Pinkvilla wrote "The courtroom drama deals with the subject matter in a very delicate and sensitive way. Not just audiences having an inclination towards courtroom films but everyone should enjoy watching the film."^[21] A critic from Firstpost wrote "One of the best scenes of Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai is when Solanki (Manoj Bajpayee) tries to convince the minor girl on the terrace to fight against the god-man and not be scared. He says that now it’s time not to hide your face behind the dupatta, but to tie it hard around your waist and fight like Ma Kali."^[22] The Times of India rated the movie 4 stars out of 5 and wrote "The movie, where only Advocate Solanki's name remains unchanged, while other characters are given screen names, handles the narrative with great sensitivity, even in the scenes when the defence asks Nu pointed questions about the incident or how mindfully the police handle the case. It does not sensationalise the event while ensuring it’s gripping."^[23]

Scroll.in praised Manoj Bajpayee's performance and wrote "The title gives a fair warning. The movie isn’t about the teenager and her family who had the courage to file a police complaint but the crusading lawyer."^[24] A critic from The Quint wrote "In focusing on the ek bandaa (one man) at the centre of the courtroom drama, we see little of the stories bubbling around him. The way the pressure of "proving" allegations of sexual misconduct falls on the survivor is hinted at but not explored."^[25] A critic from CNBC TV18 wrote "The entire escapade, peopled with shady characters and accentuated by the ashram’s secluded and eerie premises, was as spooky as a true-crime documentary."^[26] Zoom TV wrote "The film skillfully navigates the complexities of faith and the law, questioning the influence of charisma."^[27]

A critic from Lehren wrote "Most of all, there’s an unabashed borrowing of the Criminal Justice and Jolly LLB templates – a self-effacing advocate pitched against biggies in the legal business, a bit of wit attempted as the serious case proceeds and glimpses into the humble lawyer’s personal life. Shubham Kulkarni of Koimoi rated the film 4/5 stars and said "It is a masterclass about how an actor can hold an entire movie on his skilled shoulders. Manoj Bajpayee doesn’t blow life in this movie; he is the life of the film".^[28]