351. Article 15; movie review

ARTICLE 15
Cert 15
130 mins
BBFC advice: Contains references to sexual violence, disturbing images, strong violence, language

India is said to be the largest democracy in the world but how can that be when the wretched caste system still exists?
This is a country where people are judged by the accident of birth. If you arrive in the upper caste, you will always be and if you are an untouchable, there is no way out.
Ok, they don't call the lowest caste untouchables any more but that is only a matter of semantics.
The truth is that, in much of Indian society, the upper classes will not eat food prepared by what they see as their inferiors or will even have their shadows cast upon them.
I was much taken by Anubhav Sinha's film which tackles the issue in a community deep in the Indian countryside and is based on a true story.
The excellent Ayushmann Khurrana stars as a young police station superintendent who graduated in Delhi.
On the face of it, his initial welcome is warm but it isn't long before he is facing the case of two teenage girls found hanged from a tree.
Local police and politicians present the resolution that their two fathers have confessed to their crimes but it doesn't sit well with him.
Neither does their careless attitude towards the suffering of people of a lower caste.
Manoj Pahwa plays the local uniformed officer who tries to deflect the superintendent from properly investigating the crime.
Initially, his motive seems to be laziness or even casual racism but gradually there appear to be even more sinister drivers afoot.
Politicians also become more progressively involved as the inquiry begins to point at them.
There are many heroes in Indian cinema but none is more significant than the one played by Khurranna. Despite physical and verbal intimidation, he cannot see further than the path of justice.
If only everyone in authority in India were the same.

Reasons to watch: A riveting lift of the veil which covers caste crime
Reasons to avoid: Upsetting scenes

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 9/10

Did you know? There is no way Hindus can change their caste in their lifetime. Indeed, they are told to try and do so is to upset the cosmic balance. Hindus believe that they are reincarnated when they die and that if they have led a good life they will be reborn in the next life into a higher caste.

Final word. Ayushmann Khuranna: "Recently, I watched a documentary called “India Untouched: Stories of a People Apart”. I thought I should do something on these lines – I just didn’t think I’d get to do it so soon." Reuters

Share this post