Rating: 4.0/5
Genre: Biographical Drama
Star Cast: Manoj Bajpayee, Rajkummar Rao
Director: Hansal Mehta
Bollywood is going at par with a number of
biopic films just now and then. It was just last week when bold and courageous
flight attendant Neerja Bhanot played by Sonam Kapoor filled our heart with
pride with the film ‘Neerja’. Now there is yet another biopic show, storyline
is totally different though, to make our weekend worth for.
‘Aligarh’ is a Bollywood biopic film directed
by Hansal Mehta and depicts the story of a real-life incident of Aligarh Muslim
University (AMU) professor Shriniwas Ramchandra Siras who was terminated from his
services because he was gay (Although the actual shooting is done in Bareilly
College). Hats off to the stellar performances by Bollywood gems Manoj Bajpayee
and Rajkummar Rao to keep us hooked to our seats all the time.
The film not only portrays the subject of
homosexuality, but also deals with the issues like, human rights, freedom of
oneself when the surroundings are not favorable and of course hope. Manoj
Bajpayee plays the 64 year old professor Siras who teaches Marathi in Aligarh
Muslim University. Life plays its part from a different angle and same happens
to the lone Marathi professor when his staff members catch him in his house having
sex with a rickshaw puller man. Action follows immediately and he is suspended
from his post.
Bajpayee gets into the skin of the character
and plays the role so marvelously that we are instantly drawn into Prof. Siras’
melancholic, lost world where a glass of whiskey and Lata Mangeshkar songs
round in round are his only company. The film is filled with the moments of long
pauses and silences to help you create your own meaning.
Another power pact performance comes along
with ‘Kai Po Che’ fame actor Rajkummar Rao who enters into the story as a
journalist with Malayali accent, named Deepu Sebastian. Deepu is much
interested in professor Siras’ case and is eager to put the things from
professor’s perspective. His communication with Bajpayee creates the on-screen
magic as the duo expresses a lot through their eyes and body language.
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| Manoj Bajpayee and Rajkummar Rao in 'Aligarh' |
Although ‘Aligarh’ is a serious cinema, the
way of storytelling is much appreciable. N the credit goes to Hansal Mehta and
writer Apurva Asrani. Mehta definitely knows how to treat the true stories in
the best way and has already shown his power of storytelling in ‘Shahid’ (2012).
As all the films have got its loose ends,
‘Aligarh’ is no exception. Some of the scenes keep dragging throughout the
story. Dr. Siras holding a glass of whisky and listening to his much loved Lata
Mangeshkar tracks is one such scene.
The film is a must watch for every genre as
it throws an insight of human divinity and rights on a strong base that portrays
the gay incident in an unreasonable and numb society.
Recommended Read:
http://filmynuts.blogspot.com/2016/01/aligarh-trailer-is-out-captivating-performance-by-manoj-bajpayee.html
Recommended Read:
http://filmynuts.blogspot.com/2016/01/aligarh-trailer-is-out-captivating-performance-by-manoj-bajpayee.html