[wp-review]
Director:
Hansal Mehta
Writer:
Ishani Banerjee
Apurva Asrani
Producer:
Sunil Lulla
Shailesh R. Singh
Genre:
Biographic Drama
Release Date:
26 Feb 2016
Star-Cast:
Manoj Bajpayee & Rajkummar Rao.
Story:
Hansal Mehta’s Aligarh comes at a critical time when the Supreme Court has decided for reviving the open deliberation on gay rights in India. The film has its own particular pace and fabric as it portrays the narrative of 64 years old Prof. Siras of Aligarh University who was suspended from the association for being a gay person. Taking into account a genuine story, Hansal Mehta touches upon few issues and points separated from gay rights in this movie.
This film traces three parallel stories of common people and the lengths they will go to realise their big Bollywood dream. This film traces three parallel stories of common people and the lengths they will go to realise their big Bollywood dream. Plot:
Set in a city of Uttar Pradesh and based on true events, the movie revolves around Dr Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras who taught Marathi at Aligarh Muslim University. He was sacked from his position of Reader and Chair of Modern Indian Languages, on charges of homosexuality. A sting operation was conducted by a TV channel which showed him in an embrace with a rickshaw puller, at his house inside the campus. The next day he was suspended from the university and at the same time his film was given to the media to report the incident, which brings in the journalist called Deepu Sebastin played by Rajkummar Rao. He then convinced his editor not to disclose the story to society as it is more of a human interest story than a sensational report. At the same time, the professor with the help of the journalist files a court and wins the case as the law doesn’t discriminate people on the issue of sexual orientation. So what happens next, will he be entertained by the university considering his sexual orientation is an interesting thing to explore?
Review:
What works for the film are the stellar performances. Rajkummar Rao who is Mehta’s muse delivers yet again. His Deepu is curious and hungry for knowledge. At the very same time he’s also childlike and naive. His scenes with Manoj are terrific and a lot of his communication happens through his eyes and body language. Manoj Bajpayee gives the performance of a lifetime. Not letting Siras become a caricature or an object of empathy he breathes in life and color even in the weakest scenes. The stutter, pauses, anger, sorrow, an amalgamation of emotions fill up the screen. Mehta is a storyteller and he stands by his signature style of taking time to build the story in Aligarh. The film isn’t without hiccups. The end might seem abrupt to those who haven’t read any material on the case.
Aligarh needs to be watched. It is serious cinema and you need to be patient with the pace. But if you give into Mehta’s storytelling and let Siras charm you with his innocence then Aligarh will become an instant favorite. A film about human divinity and rights about anything else, Aligarh is high on my recommendation list.
Direction, music, and screenplay:
The director has attempted to people like Siras being bogged down dragged down to dirt if they are found with issues like these. Their privacy is invaded and they are brought out to the roads falling down to the mudslinging activities. The director was successful in portraying these elements in the best ways, which was translated the best. The music and other elements seem to be okay, which has helped the film’s entertainment value.
The last word:
Aligarh is more than just a film about gay rights. It documents the human spirit, and the freedom it struggles to sustain despite its oppressive surroundings. Yes, it is also a story of gay rights, but more so it is a tale of human rights. Mehta has used Siras as a metaphor to highlight optimism in a time of a pessimistic environment. There are moments in the film where you feel more than just empathy and compassion for Siras
Rating:
[wp-review]
