‘Article 15’: Movie Review

I think the phrase which would sum up the defining quality of “Article 15” is ‘hard-hitting’. With this movie, writers Gaurav Solanki and Anubhav Sinha (also the director) pull no punches and hit the audience with uncomfortable moments on the important, yet oft-ignored topic of casteism in rural India with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. But, this treatment works very well for this movie – one, because this is the treatment this subject requires, and two, because the execution and performance of the cast and crew is sincere and earnest.

“Article 15” has new IPS officer Ayan Ranjan (Ayushmann Khurrana) taking charge in Lalgaon where two Dalit girls are found hanging from a tree while a third one is missing. Ayan is furious to see the complete apathy among officers in his station, who are entrenched in the caste system that define the way they interact with one another as well as with the people in the village. With mounting pressure to look the other way on one hand, a lack of support from his officers led by Circle Officer Brahmadatt (Manoj Pahwa), and an uprising among the lower caste led by a young revolutionary Nishad (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub), Ayan must do what it takes to solve the case and ensure justice is served.

“Article 15” works primarily because the writing seethes with righteous indignation, and the audience is made to confront some harsh realities of India. But, at the same time, the movie works equally well as a thrilling detective film – this movie is not only about the subject of social inequalities, it is an engaging cop film where the investigation takes centre stage. Full credit to the makers to make the two aspects work well together. Ayan’s helplessness in trying to get things done in a system that is so twisted and corrupt is very well shown, and though there is a heavy handedness in some moments, the screenplay and dialogues are very well written and have the desired impact without making it look melodramatic. Full credit to Anubhav Sinha’s direction – he does not shy away from uncomfortable scenes but instead uses close-ups to make the audience even more comfortable to get the message (be it showing dead bodies in close up as the police calmly discuss how to get the body down from the tree, or the daily work of manual scavengers who risk their lives to clean the sewers).

The cinematography is excellent, and the proceedings are always enveloped in a sense of eerie dread. The background score is also excellent. The one issue I had in the movie was the character of Aditi (Isha Talwar), who acts as Ayan’s sounding board. This was one wasted thread that really didn’t do anything for me. Their interaction, which is aimed to showcase Ayan’s thought process and decision making, feels expository to the point that I felt like the makers were trying to tell me how I should feel.

The movie would not have worked without sincere and honest performances, and here too, we have an absolute winner. Ayushmann Khurrana is excellent as the righteous but unaware Ayan – I was honestly surprised at how good the performance was. This could have easily been an over-the-top performance, but Ayushmann handles it with elegance, poise, and maturity. Manoj Pahwa and Kumud Mishra are the real highlights for me here – they are able to convey years of following a caste hierarchy effortlessly. Other actors including Sayani Gupta, Ashish Verma and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub round off a good supporting cast.

To sum up, “Article 15” is a must-watch. Thankfully, though it is a movie that talks on a social subject, it is entertaining as well as thought provoking.