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Article 15 Movie Review: This engaging, intense thriller adds another feather to Ayushmann Khurrana’s hat
After a memorable performance as a blind conman in Andhadhun, Ayushmann Khurrana is coming to the box office this weekend with Article 15. The Anubhav Sinha directorial focuses on the issue of caste discrimination which is hammered in the minds of the audience repeatedly with finesse.
Movie: Article 15
Article 15 Director: Anubhav Sinha
Article 15 Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Isha Talwar, Sayani Gupta, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa
Article 15 Movie Stars: 3.5/5
Ayushmann Khurrana is on a roll. After giving a stellar performance as a blind conman in Andhadhun, his recent film Article 15 is an investigative thriller that makes the audience to ponder over an issue that continues to plague the country.
The story of Article 15 revolves around the rape and murder of minor girls in rural Uttar Pradesh. Ayushmann plays the role of an investigating IPS officer. For those who believe in short reviews, the movie is engaging, intense with some brilliant performance by the cast including Isha Talwar, M Nassar, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Kumud Mishra, and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub.
Anubhav Sinha makes a genuine attempt at presenting the issue with a firm commitment. The issue of caste discrimination is hammered in the minds of the audience repeatedly with finesse. The director reminds us of the continuous trauma and discrimination prevailing amongst caste and sub-castes across the country. The sheer inertia to share water with another community…or for that matter, Ayushmann’s disgust on learning how his own subordinates have not been able to overcome years of sub-conscious caste superiority complex, challenges the audience to introspect.
The grey and green hues used through the movie become a medium of storytelling. Even the background music contributes its bit. What merits special mention is the effort taken to make the audience believe that each character was living and breathing his/her part. Minute details such as a dirty and worn-out Kalava on the wrist of Sayani Gupta’s character stands out. Of course, Sinha also deserves credit for capturing the most gruesome act with cinematic brilliance, which makes it repulsive but never disquieting for the audience.
Dialogue is hard-hitting and shakes one’s conscience. Thankfully, the writer could convince the makers to shun the usual ‘Bollywood filmi tadka’. My favourite one is where Ayushmann states, when there is an incident of arson, being neutral means we are also siding with the culprits. However, Bollywood’s obsession with a song at the end of the movie is a dampener; even if it is an angry rap included to reinstate the importance of the issue.
Ayushmann doesn’t falter with his strategy of underplaying the character, making it as authentic as it can be. Zeshan Ayyub has earned his place in the industry playing roles which are unpolished yet impactful. He has a brief screen presence, but anything lesser would have made him vanish without making any credible connect with the audience. Sayani Gupta has already proved her mettle as an actress in various films. In Article 15, she makes her way to your heart through a captivating performance.
Article 15 is a movie that exposes one of the various social issues faced by our country. There are several ways in which discrimination prevails in the society at multiple levels. We undoubtedly need more such films -- whether we are prepared to introspect and change, remains to be seen. As they say, a movie is a mere reflection of society; nothing more nothing less.
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