Headshot at casteism - Article 15 review

The movie took a bit long to resume after intermission, there were mutterings among the crowd that the screening has been stopped due to a case filed against it. But in such rumours lies the conviction of this movie to boldly take on the so-called 'sanctimonious'. This is Article 15's success. 

Amidst the slush of run-of-the-mill movies, Ayushmann Khurrana has yet again bailed Bollywood out of this monotony, with this movie.

Kudos to Ayushmann who plays the cop and has uncompulsively shred his boy-next-door label of his Bareilly ki barfi, Shubh Mangal Savdhaan and Badhaai Ho films. He pulls this role off in style with no teeth-gnashing, table-breaking or over-the-top punch lines.

Article 15 is a real deal and definitely will traverse beyond cinema halls. The movie vividly and unhurriedly unwraps every layer of the sublimated caste discrimination in the garb of the fastest growing economy, India.

Ayan (Ayushmann) a Europe (country unspecified) return is posted as an additional officer at a casteist hotbed Uttar Pradesh's fictional village of Laalgaon. The police officers working with him move heaven and earth to cover up this discrimination with a 'Sab chalta hai' (It's usual) attitude.

The suspicious missing of 3 girls and discernment of the workings of feudal system beneath these deaths forms the hurdle for the protagonist and how he tackles this deep intrenched system is what Article 15 is all about.

There are casual caustic remarks on sexual orientations which may seem odd for a nation that recently repealed article 377 (inequality based on sexual orientation), this is a tolerable watch as the village portrayed is yet to be removed from 'different' glasses and plates system.

Narration of this movie is well paced and takes off steadily. Director Anubhav Sinha scores in his handling of this delicate subject.

Every character has exactly done what is required, nothing is overdone or underdone. The only off-note is Ayan's wife Aditi (Isha Talwar) who vainly tries to assert her relevance. Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub who plays activist Nishad has an insatiable appetite for commendable roles, he is at his mettle once again.

The cinematography of Ewan Mulligan is neat but the lighting could have been much more gloomy suggestive of a feudal village that is alien to 21st century sophistications.

Background score by composer Mukesh Dhadke is negligible but ably supports audience's journey through this movie. He needs to be lauded for keeping it that way.

The beautiful or ghastly (both suits) thing about this movie is that the villain (a person) shows no hurry to appear and challenge the hero. But the invisible diabolical system daunts the protagonist and audience for real.

The film calls for a fresh, inclusive introspection and come to terms whether 'Bharat' (India) is really 'Mahaan' (Great) or are there things that are brushed under the carpet to make India look great. Interestingly, an episode from the epic Ramayana is narrated to Ayan, that a village willingly went dark to welcome Lord Ram from exile to make his palace look more lustrous hints at this forementioned all-pervasive patriotic adage.