Biopic of real life hero Shanmughan Manjunath.
By Tathagata Mitra
BANGALORE: The biopic of real life hero Shanmughan Manjunath hit the screens this past Friday. One of the least promoted films of the year, and without any powerful star in its roster, it failed to do well at the box office.
Director Sandeep A. Varma has been praised for his debut biographical drama of 130 minutes. He has not only directed the film but also has written it and co-produced it with NFDC (National Film Development Corporation).
The film stars newcomer Sasho Satiiysh Sarathi who plays the role of IIM graduate Manjunath. The film also stars veterans like Seema Biswas and Kishore Kadam as Manjunath’s mother and father, respectively. Actors Divya Dutta and Yashpal Sharma play supporting roles in the film.
The film has been praised for its handling of the subject and for the performances of the actors, especially Sasho and Seema Biswas. As The Times of India has written, “The biopic is worth applauding as it goes beyond the obvious. It doesn’t merely recount crucial events of Manju’s life. It tries to analyze what went through his mind before he decided to wage war against corruption and face its gruesome consequences.”
Shanmugham Manjunath was a marketing manager (grade A officer) for The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC). He studied engineering in Mysore and later did his MBA in IIM, Lucknow.
While working for the IOC, in 2005, Manjunath had ordered the sealing of two petrol pumps at Lakhmipur Kheri for three months for selling adulterated fuel. About a month later, the pumps had started functioning again. Manjunath had decided to conduct a surprise inspection there around 19 September, 2005.
That very night when his father tried to get in touch with Manjunath, he had been unsuccessful. His son’s body was later found in the backseat of his own car, riddled with at least six bullets.
Following his murder and the arrest of several employees of IOC, the company paid a compensation of $43,000 to Manjunath’s family. Manjunath’s honesty and sacrifice is considered a model for the Indian youth. The inspired students of IIT, IIM and other institutes together had later on set up “The Manjunath Shanmugam Trust.”