Movie Review - "Article 15"

Anubhav sinha had delivered a very impressive "mulk" last year. (My review here) and so I was looking forward to "Article 15" with much anticipation. Unlike the mulk experience - this time around, one knew the theme of the movie. Also now one was entering the movie hall with more expectations from the director. So it was difficult to be surprised. 

So as I walked out of the theatre, I feel that Anubhav Sinha has delivered another well crafted movie on a very sensitive, if not controversial, subject. He confronts us again with difficult questions and helps us visit our and society's prejudices in a dignified, balanced manner. Based on the Badaun Gang rape murder case deep in the UP heartland the movie is a difficult and disturbing watch right from the word go.

A young educated urbane elite IPS officer is transferred to a typical UP village post where he is confronted with a case of three missing teenage girls, a prejudiced, rotten and broken policing & administrative system and caste discrimination so deep rooted that it is almost a culture accepted by both the discriminator and the discriminated. The story is a meandering, moving tale of this officer's experience of negotiating through this case coming to terms with the "in the face" realities of life in the hinterland so removed from the liberal - mostly just environments we live in. One could call it a crime thriller but it is actually a social comment more than a who done it mystery.

A few sequences, hopefully, will haunt the guilty conscious of audience for some time - like the two hapless girls in a bus, or the image of them hanging from a tree or when the third girl is eventually found or a sweeper cleaning a gutter are images that should be remembered as scars on our society at large. As we draw close to the end we start feeling as hopeless as the lady doctor in the

Government hospital, or the witnesses of the crime who are part of the system, or finally the lone fighter protagonist in the movie.

The movie remains focussed on the story and the theme throughout never taking a break to relax or divert - and to the credit of the director - despite this razor sharp focus the audience remain engaged in this difficult to narrate story. The director takes no help from song, dance or special effect sequences. There were so many instances when the director could have lost his way and could have made the movie a commercial pot boiler but thankfully that does not happen. He directed the movie with someone who wanted to make a powerful statement. The only regret will be the statement could have been delivered more powerfully but for the choice of Ayushman for the protagonist role.

I think the biggest weakness of the movie is Ayushman Khurana - a more powerful actor in this role would have made this movie much much higher on impact. Ayushman is sincere, works hard on the role but I think he simply isn't a great actor. He is more suitable to breezy, chocolaty roles. He is impressive in "Article 15" but "Mulk" was more powerful simply because its cast was better chosen. 

"Article 15", I think carried itself on the shoulders of Sayani gupta, Kumud Mishra and Manoj Pawha. In fact Manoj pawha is yet another example of how some really great talent is wasted in the Bollywood in frivolous routine roles. He spurns another super performance in his understated and non-descript role quite like he did in Mulk. Isha Talwar did not have a role and one wonders why she did the movie - probably because it was offered to her. Rest of the cast had little to register their presence as this was a Hero's movie.

The director is ably supported by the right mix of background music, good cinematography and a powerful script laced with crisp dialogues. All in all a very good movie yet again by Anubhav Sinha - he looks like someone who is all set to write off his forgettable past with uninspiring initial movies. The strongest positive of "article 15" is that it is not a super hero movie - the protagonist is a real police officer limited by constraints and needs help. He is no rajanikant who magically sets things right. While the movie ends on a positive note - one feels that was the only fictional part of the story.

My recommendation for a good watch - do add to your list - just don't go when you are in the mood for a light hearted, breezy flick. Instead, expect a engrossing, mind stirring - real tale of the contradictions in the Indian life. 

Oh !! And before I forget there is a really good rap at the end - do watch it to release some of the tense knots that you may have developed watching a disturbing but well crafted story. Enjoy !!