Hindi Film Review
Article 15
“Article 15 Is A Hard-Hitting Film”
Banner: Benares Media Works & Zee Studios
Producers: Anubhav Sinha & Zee Studios
Director: Anubhav Sinha
Star Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Isha Talwar, Sayani Gupta, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Nassar, Ronjini Chakraborty, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Veen, Ashish Verma, Sushil Pandey, Akash Dabhade, Shubrajyoti Bharat & Sumbul Touqeer
Music: Anurag Saikia, Piyush Shankar, Devin Parker, Gingger & Mangesh Dhakde
One of the burning issues of the country is the caste system. Despite relevant laws & provisions, one can’t deny that the discrimination of various communities continue with alarming regularity. At times, it manifests into shocking crimes. The political class takes advantage of these conflicts & it further creates a divide. Very few films in Bollywood have plots that actually revolves around caste, shockingly. Anubhav Sinha however takes up the challenge, motivated by the success of his last year’s flick Mulk, which dealt with religious tensions. The result is Article 15, featuring the urban audience’s favorite star Ayushmann Khurrana in the leading role. The trailer & the content has already become a talking point.
The scripted scenario of Article 15 reveals that it is story of a righteous cop trying to solve a caste related crime. Ayan Ranjan (Ayushmann Khurrana) is an IPS officer from Delhi who has been transferred to a village named Lalgaon in Uttar Pradesh as punishment posting. As soon as he joins duty, he comes to know about a case involving the 3 missing girls from the Dalit community in the village. The cops out there don’t investigate the matter, citing that the case isn’t serious & the community often files false complaints. The next day however, the corpse of 2 of the missing girls namely Shalu & Mamta is found hanging on a tree. The 3rdgirl, Pooja, is missing. One of the girls from the community, Gaura (Sayani Gupta) tells Ayan Ranjan that these 3 girls used to work under the local contractor Anshu who used to pay them Rs. 25 per day. The girls then asked for a raise of just Rs. 3 but it was rejected by Anshu. Hence, they protested & left the work. Gaura alleges that Anshu possibly violated the girls to teach them a lesson. Ayan Ranjan then decides to investigate the matter as he realizes that Gaura is indeed right. But officer Brahmdutt Singh (Manoj Pahwa), working under Ayan Ranjan, secretly tries to change the narrative of the crime. He plants a story in a newspaper that both the girls were in a same-sex relationship & that’s why their fathers killed them. In short, it was not a caste related crime but honor killing is what he tries to prove. He also forces Dr. Malti Ram (Ronjini Chakraborty) to change the post mortem report, although it’s clear that Shalu & Mamta had been repeatedly gang raped & then hung on the tree. Amidst all these challenges, Ayan Ranjan attempts to solve the case & find Pooja. To top it all, a Dalit underground leader Nishant (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub) attacks police officer Jatav (Kumud Mishra) & Ayan Ranjan’s PA Mayank (Ashish Verma) & sets their jeep on fire. What happens next forms the rest of the crux of the film.
Anubhav Sinha & Gaurav Solanki’s story is very hard-hitting & deserves to be told. It is loosely inspired by events like the Badaun rape case & Una flogging incident. The various characters, their dilemmas & of course their caste status is well put out & used. However, one also wishes the film didn’t have so many people as it becomes confusing. Also, not all contribute entirely to the main plot. Anubhav Sinha & Gaurav Solanki’s screenplay is engaging & keeps one hooked from start to finish. There’s so much happening every minute & the writers try their best to keep audiences captivated. A few scenes however should have been written in a more entertaining way. Anubhav Sinha & Gaurav Solanki’s dialogues are one of the pillars of the film. They take several scenes to another level. And the writers don’t take a safe route. The names of various castes are fearlessly mentioned & thankfully, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) hasn’t chopped off these references either. It’s a pleasant surprise that even the F-word has been retained. In 1 sequence, the characters even discuss about the symbols of the political parties & it’s easy to understand what they are hinting at.
Anubhav Sinha’s direction is 1st rate for most parts. It’s a very sensitive topic, which is why most filmmakers have feared taking it up. Anubhav Sinha only makes a film out of it, he does a fine job & also ensures the various communities don’t get offended. But one wishes he had made Article 15 in a more commercial way. His earlier film Mulk was easy to comprehend & also had a thrill element & that made it more mainstream. Article 15 is entertaining & massy only in parts. In a few scenes, it seems like a docu drama. A few moments however are very memorable & keep lingering in one’s mind for a long time. The shots where sewer cleaners enter the gutters without any safety equipment is bound to haunt viewers. Another brief but powerful shot is how political workers put up the banner of the upcoming rally on the very wall where posters of missing Pooja are pasted. It’s quite an interesting way to subtly tell viewers about how society has got the priorities all wrong.
Article 15’s initial scene is quite a shocker but then the interest levels drop. The 1st ever 10 to 15 minutes are spent in introducing the characters & the setting. It’s when the dead bodies are found that the film rises again. The complexities are laid out very well & one begins to see with interest how Ayan Ranjan wades through these challenges & attempts to bring justice. One of the most memorable sequences of this hour & also the film is when Ayan Ranjan gets outraged after knowing the caste status of fellow cops & how there are plenty of hierarchies. The intermission point takes the cake as the finest scene of the film & will surely be greeted with claps in cinema halls. It also excites audiences as they expect the 2nd half to be even better. In the 2nd hour however, the film gets quite complicated. The subplots of Nishant & the Mahant ji are interesting & even realistic but don’t gel well with the main plot. On the positive side, the twist in the tale is unpredictable. The scenes of Nihal Singh & his sister give goosebumps. Also, the sequence of Ayan Ranjan being interrogated by the CBI is arresting. The climax is quite impressive & the film ends on a fantastic note.
Music has no scope in the film & it’s not relegated even in the background. “Kahab Toh” is played in the opening credits & its lyrics are quite sharp. “Shuru Karein Kya” is played during the end credits & though it is catchy, this rap track looks out of place considering the theme of the film. Mangesh Dhakde’s background score is not consistent but the exhilarating music elevates impact. Ewan Mulligan’s cinematography is quite raw & suits a film of this genre. Nikhil Kovale’s production design is realistic. Overall, the look of the film is quite rich & even a bit haunting & it works. Vishakha Kullarwar’s costumes are straight out of life, especially the ones worn by the marginalized communities. Yasha Ramchandani’s editing is appropriate.
Performance wise Ayushmann Khurrana is in top form. He’s mostly known for quirky roles but last year, he surprised everyone by excelling in the thriller Andhadhun. In Article 15 however, he goes one step ahead as there’s no scope for comedy at all here. Yet, he comes out with flying colours. Even with his silences & eye movements, he conveys so much. Article 15 has created a buzz also because he’s there in the film & he ensures he doesn’t disappoint his fans & admirers. Manoj Pahwa leaves a huge mark. Anubhav Sinha extracts the best from him, last year he rocked in Mulk, and now with this flick, he yet again impresses. Watch out for the scenes when he charges towards Jatav & in the 2nd half when he confronts Jatav. Kumud Mishra is the surprise of the film. His role is very well fleshed out & with his performance, he takes it on a high. He gets to be in a clapworthy sequence in the 2nd half. He also contributes to the comic quotient in the movie. Sayani Gupta is efficient. She arguably did a similar role in Jolly LLB 2 (2017) where also she was begging the powerful people for justice. But here, the setting is different & she tries her best to ensure her performance doesn’t remind one of any previous performance. Her breakdown scene is chilling. Isha Talwar (Aditi) is decent & her chemistry with Ayushmann Khurrana is quite fresh. Aakash Dabhade as Satyendra Rai has a crucial part & is well cast. Mohamed Zeeshan Ayyub gives a powerful performance & even suits his character. It’s a well written part but one wishes his later portions had more impact to the overall plot. Ronjini Chakraborty is quite confident. Nassar as CBI official is apt. The actors playing Anshu, Amla the maid, Nihal Singh & Mahant are also fine.
Tail Piece: On the whole, Article 15 is a hard-hitting film that raises some important issues related to caste, that are plaguing the country.
At the box office turnstiles, the powerful plot & the brand Ayushmann Khurrana will ensure that it gets a decent footfalls in the multiplexes.
