The headline is not to be forcedly sensational; when you watch Anubhav Sinha's 'Article 15' you will get the context - it is too cute to not mention that. I am not going to reveal anything more important than what you can already see in the trailer and what you might have seen or read in the promotional interviews that have been out so far.
Watch trailer here:
Having just watched the film, I have two important demands to make - first that every citizen of India should have read the Constitution of India before they pass school. Secondly, Article 15 (the film) should be made mandatory viewing for each and every citizen of India. Disclaimer: I haven't read the Constitution of India, and I had no idea what Article 15 was till the trailer of this film came out a few weeks ago. Yes, so far whatever I know, I have learned from the films I have watched.
Let me tell you guys a little story. Five decades ago, there was a so called "high caste" Brahmin family somewhere in south India. The head of this family was a chief priest at the most revered temple in town, and would earn a living by performing various poojas and havanas for the so called "lower caste" people. There was a family ritual that the young boys of this "high caste" family will have a thread ceremony (janeu) and eventually follow the family tradition and become high priests themselves. Nepotism is not just limited to Bollywood.
Then a disruptor was born in this family. He had to go through the thread ceremony, and then as a part of the ritual, he would be an assistant to his grandfather during summer holidays and be a part of the poojas and havanas - reciting shlokas and running errands etc. This rogue of a kid who chose science over religion when he was about 15, on one such havana was singing 'I want it that way' (Backstreet Boys) instead of the Gayatri Mantra that he was supposed to chant 108 times under the veil he was given to wear for that holy task.
Despite what this rogue kid did, the "lower caste" family who were expecting a child after getting the said havana done, had their wish fulfilled. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
This has got nothing to do with the truth. May be it does? For me to know, you to guess.
Just leaving it here that me and Rani don't believe in any religion - we are humanitarians and will remain so for this lifetime. Rather than using our time and money for religious activities, we try to do good things for friends and even those who we might not know at all - ever tried offering water to delivery boys when they come home to deliver whatever you've ordered? Try it once, and please give them water in the same glass that you would have it in - you'll feel great. Each time we do so, the delivery boy first looks stunned and then breaks into a wide smile.
Review shuru karein kya? First listen to this song:
Dear friends, AYUSHMANN KHURRANA is the actor / man of this decade and hopefully many more. For a cutesy, lovable and goofy bum to look convincing as a cop tough as a nail and not make a fool out of himself, I can't imagine the internal transformation he must have gone through. He had begun the process with Sriram sir's 'Andhadhun', but his role as Ayan Ranjan in 'Article 15' is a huge beast in comparison. When the trailer had landed, I remember saying that I could never imagine Ayushmann could make me wet my pants with his intensity. Man, he did it in 'Article 15'.
Kudos to Gaurav Solanki and Anubhav Sinha, the co-writers, and a HUGE hawaai firing for Mr. Sinha, the director, to make a film that hits you at so many levels, as a human, and as a citizen of a so called secular nation. They made a ball-gripping film about news articles that are published in the seventh page of national newspapers - may be not even there, as the film suggests. Caste-based killings and torture are the new normal in our country. Some lynching videos go viral for a a day or two, till the next Dhinchak Pooja captures our collective attention.
What bothers me the most as a writer these days is that I feel scared of offending the sentiments of some random fungi sitting somewhere digging his or her nose and scrolling through his or her phone. Making a film like 'Article 15' requires balls of steel, each the size of Jupiter, the planet. Mr. Sinha, the country owes you an award and lifetime free supplies of whatever you need, just for having the courage to take this subject from paper to cinema halls nation wide. I want to watch this film with my entire extended family and see their reactions.
While 'Article 15' ticks all the boxes of being a politically aware film, it also acts as a mirror that has been long missing for us as Indians - it does all this while keeping your heart in your mouth, entertaining you with laughter and tears all throughout. This piece will be incomplete if I don't mention the genius of Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Mohammad Zeeshan Ayub, Sayani Gupta and Nasser sir. They, along with Ayushmann give you the best moments of 'Article 15'. Don't waste time and watch this thriller ride which will make you introspect on things that are most relevant in the time we are living in.
Long live, Bob Dylan... watch the film, you'll know why :)
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