Manjunath 2014

Set in the present-day hinterland of Uttar Pradesh and the state-of-the-art campus of IIM-Lucknow, Manjunath Shanmugam, a 27-year-old fresh from one of India’s premier institutes, lands a posting with a major petroleum company and is deployed to a remote district, Lakhimpur Kheri. What begins as a routine assignment quietly gathers a troubling undertone as he suddenly goes missing, leaving his circle of friends and colleagues anxious about his well-being.

One of his friends, Sujata, along with another colleague, notices a distressing change in him. The once easygoing, jovial Manjunath has grown serious, withdrawn, and deeply unsettled, a stark contrast to the energetic man his friends knew in college. When he is found, he appears frantic and is sent back to his hometown, where his family and the mounting pressures of this difficult assignation begin to mount around him.

His parents urge him to quit the demanding post, fearing for his mental and physical health. Yet he carries a stubborn pride born from a top-tier education and a humble upbringing as the eldest son of a mineworker. He believes that his generation—from the doors opened by a prestigious degree—owes something to the people who struggle daily to survive. The heart of the conflict becomes clear: he uncovers a dangerous truth about the fuel chain. The kerosene meant for the poor is being mixed with diesel to boost profits, a practice that not only cheats consumers but also fuels pollution as people burn the adulterated fuel. The exposure of this corruption places him in immediate danger, as those who profit from the scheme feel their grip on power slipping away.

Despite the mounting threats, he refuses to back down. He returns to the fight, determined to stop petrol adulteration and to safeguard vulnerable communities, even if it costs him dearly. The personal cost is harsh: one night, he is brutally killed by those who stand to lose from his stand for duty and integrity. His death shatters his family and friends, who cry, question, and wonder why he chose to put himself in such danger.

Yet the film refuses to let his sacrifice be a solitary spark. In the wake of his passing, strangers—unconnected at first—begin to recognize the significance of his courage and start to organize. They seek guidance, gather support, and face daunting risks as they attempt to carry the fight forward. What begins as a few isolated acts of conscience gradually swells into a broader movement, with more people stepping forward and finding unconventional help in unlikely places. The sense of momentum returns, and Manjunath’s hope, once dimmed, begins to reappear as a broader sense that their collective effort can matter.

Interwoven throughout the narrative is a distinctive framing device: Manjunath himself serves as the narrator, and the story shifts back and forth to a rock concert, lending an electric energy to the telling while underscoring the gravity of his mission. This juxtaposition of youth’s vitality with a sober, morally charged investigation adds a layered texture to the tale, inviting the viewer to feel both the immediacy of the danger and the long arc of consequence.

At its core, the film asks not simply whether Manjunath lived or died, but whether the impact of his actions endures. The question—whether he was a failure or a success—grows into a broader meditation on courage, responsibility, and the power of ordinary people to challenge corruption. By the end, the story suggests that while his life ended in tragedy, his example ignites a wider resolve that persists beyond his own years. The film closes on a note of wary optimism: a legacy beginning to breathe, guided by a growing chorus of people who choose to stand up, speak out, and keep the truth in the light.