Article 15 as formed by the Indian Constitution of India prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. Unfortunately, this is not case on the records in the real India.
Article 15 tells the story of IPS officer, Ayan Ranjan (played by Ayushmann Khurrana), who has been posted in a small village, Laal Gaon, Uttar Pradesh. The day he takes up duty, he is welcomed with the murder case of three girls which leads to the "real" issues of the caste system which is very much prevalent in the "real" India.
Last year Anubhav Sinha proved that he is more than just making candyfloss film,Tum Bin, or forgettable Cash with Mulk. This year, he goes one step ahead with Article 15 which is based on true life event of the 2014 Badaun gang rape case where two Dalit girls were gang raped continuously for two days, murdered and hung from a tree. There are no songs in this 2 hours 10 minutes film as Anubhav Sinha takes the audience right into the the truth which is harsh but was never elaborated. There are couple of questions raised by Ayushmann Khurrana to his peers relating to the different levels of caste and to his dismay, he gets the answer that there are different levels of caste and even sub-caste below. The scene is funny yet exposes the harsh truth existing in the few parts of rural India. Two scenes stands out - a lower caste worker coming out of a pit full of waste, his face smeared with sludge and goes back again to complete manual removal of untreated human excreta. The second scene is where a factory owner proudly admits to hitting the three girls who demanded a pay-hike of just Rs 3 and the reason he gives for beating these girls "Unko Aukat Unki Dikhane ke Liye"
Article 15 details out the struggles and challenges faced by the cops mentally and physically. The crime-drama boast off some strong technical support. I should start with an outstanding editing work. The background score is haunting and yet mesmerizing. The cinematography is brilliant, portraying a real-life crime with aplomb. Screenplay is fantastic, though it becomes little sluggish towards the second half.
Coming to the performances, it is Ayushmann Khurrana who will make you believe with enduring transformation from uninformed IPS officer into a angry man who stands for the righteous act. Ayushmann Khurrana lives and breathes the character of Ayan Ranjan and is complimented by Kumd Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta and the dependable Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub (who shines in a small role).
Article 15 is not easy watch but it will expose the harsh reality of what happened on that fateful night and it will definitely make you angry. Go for it ...MIND-BLOWING 4/5
