'Article 15' Analytical review

'ARTICLE 15'

Anubhav Sinha’s film ‘Article 15’ is a strong whistle in the dark caste system.

                                           Creating a serious and out of a typical Bollywood box film is an extremely challenging matter. Directed by Anubhav Sinha, the film ‘Article 15’ presents the ground reality of caste atrocities in India and makes aware of the displeasing and the nasty horrors of Indian society.

                                   About the Film-

                        

As the title itself suggests, the film brought to light about article 15 of the Indian Constitution, Central Government Act which states the prohibition of discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. Written by Gaurav Solanki and Anubhav Sinha, the Ayushmann Khurrana starrer film is said to have been inspired by numerous and ‘shocking’ true life events, especially 2014 Badun rape and murder case. Other major actors are Isha Talwar, Sayani Gupta, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Veen and Sumbul Touqeer who keeps the audience magnified throughout the film.

                       Giving details on Article 15, Anubhav Sinha stated that "this the film is an investigative drama where the audience too is an accused party ... A very challenging film that needed an extraordinary actor like Ayushmann."

Ayan Ranjan inquiring about the girls

                        The film is mainly about a young, educated IPS officer Ayan Ranjan investigating for three teenage Dalit girls when goes missing and how he solves the case while trying to understand the firmly fixed caste system in the village named  Lalgaon in rural India.  His vision is entirely transformed by the horrifying scene of two girls hanged in a tree.

two girls hanged

                                  The shot appears almost for sixteen seconds or more with the terrific thriller soundtrack playing in the background. This way throughout the film Ayan witnesses several other upsetting and disturbing secrets and does his best to find the third girl, Pooja. The film is deeply connected with the uncomfortable truths crept in Indian society and the unforgotten value of article 15 of the Indian Constitution. 

·         Thematic montage-

                               

                           In first frame, Gaura along with other villagers is singing the following folk song criticizing the ways and norms of the elite class and referring the life and struggle of poor people like them and this is how everything runs.

कहब त लाग जाइ धक से 

कहब त लाग जाइ धक से 

बड़े बड़े लोगन के महला-दुमहला 

और भइया झूमर अलग से 

हमरे गरीबन के झुग्गी-झोपड़िया 

आंधी आए गिर जाए धड़ से 

बड़े बड़े लोगन के हलुआ पराठा 

और मिनरल वाटर अलग से 

हमरे गरीबन के चटनी औ रोटी 

पानी पीएं बालू वाला नल से 

कहब त लाग जाइ धक से

                           In the very next frame, with an aerial shot a newly posted or rather forcefully posted Indian Police service officer Ayan is on this way, from Delhi to the village to join his duty and a Bob Dylan song 'Blowin' in the wind' plays in the background.

aerial shot; on the way to Lalgaon

                                      Two perfectly composed frames well depicted by Anubhav to present the two opposite poles on so many issues. On one side the folks of the village very well know their limitations, their place in the man-made caste system and their troubles while on the other side Ayan, a student of Delhi St. Stephan’s is totally unaware of the deep-rooted caste system- the socio-political situation of the country.

                                         On his way, he asks for a bottle of water and he comes to know that where has made his car stop, is the village of Pasi community (a lower class or scheduled caste) where his fellow officers inform him that they don’t drink water touched by them and even they don’t allow their shadow. This seems horrific to Ayan so he informs this to Aditi via chat. The device of Symbolism is used when Ayan calls “wild wild west” to the system of lawlessness.

Caste Discrimination-

                                            On his arrival, a party is arranged and there he comes to know that it is very usual that scheduled castes are not allowed to serve their food as it is touched (damaged) or can’t even use glass to drink water in front of Brahmins and other upper castes. In his initial days, Mayank, Jatav, and Bhramadatt inform him about the “usual discrimination”. This is how Anubhav makes his audience aware by constantly showing the repetition of words like “WE” and “THEY”. 

Ayan figuring out the caste system

                                 Anubhav has provided some of the unnecessary yet relevant frames like Bhramadatt worrying about a sick dog for eating garbage, in fact, Bhramadatt is shown three times in the film, feeding biscuits to dogs. His worrying scene becomes more relevant when he concerns a veteran while he orders Dr. Malti Ram to make a false postmortem report of the girls and how is he in a hurry to close the case as soon as possible. According to Bhramadatt, police should investigate under the rules of the caste system which they call ‘santulan’ harmony in differentiation among high and low castes and not as an ideal police officer.

Satire on the mentality of People-

                                Anubhav has satirized on the mentality of people like Bhramadatt who believes in exploiting the scheduled castes and exercising his power forcefully over everyone under him. He works for powerful people and takes their side over his assigned duty. It is a matter of Irony how even the CBI officer Mr. Panikar is working for a political party. 

                              The climax occurs when Ayan comes to know that the three fifteen-year-old girls were gang-raped just because they were demanding three rupees more for their work. Instead of twenty-five, they were asking for twenty-eight and this is how the issue becomes a major cause that it takes away their lives. Ayan comes to know by his investigation that his own fellow colleagues- Nihal Singh and Bhramadatt were also involved in the rape.

Article 15-

                            One interesting scene just before the intermission is very thrilling. Ayan sticks a paper on ‘Article 15’ to make aware his colleagues, as well as the audience about the constitution of India, on bulletin board of police station and in background Indian national song is played which gives a goosebumps and this is where, in the film, Anubhav Sinha leaves his audience to ponder upon the highs and lows of caste system of India and the exploitation the Dalits are facing in several villages in remote areas. Anubhav also brings to light about the forgotten value of ‘Article 15’ of the Indian Constitution.  

                         

 Another scene where a man is going down in a manhole to clean the overflowing and grimy dust spread all over the area and when he is pulled by another man one could hardly recognize his face, he is all covered with that filthy waste. This scene explains a lot about the condition of lower class people. They clean for us and we don’t respect them. Through this frame, Anubhav Sinha has expressed a lot that even words fail to explain.

                      A deep connection of all these incidents reflects in one of the Dalit revolutionists- Nishad’s dialectical montage. Though Nishad has a very minor role it is through him that all the voices of scheduled castes are heard. Some dialogues which run in the background in the voice of Nishad, when he is taken by armed men, are worthy that put one’s thinking cap on!

"मैं राइटर बनना चाहता था... और साइंटिस्ट भी... फिर सोचा कि 

शायद साइंस का राइटर बन जाऊंगा।कुछ भी न हुआ साला! क्योंकि पैदा जहां हुआ वहां पैदा होना ही एक

 भयानक एक्सीडेंट जैसा था।"

And another one

"जितने लोग बार्डर पर शहीद होते हैं उससे ज्यादा 

गटर साफ करते हुए हो जाते हैं... पर उनके लिए तो

 कोई मौन तक नहीं रखता... "

Conclusion-

                                  In a nutshell, Anubhav Sinha’s film ‘Article 15’ is a strong whistle in the dark caste system of India. The composition of the film is intellectually done as it neither reveals dark night nor a bright sunny day but frames are shot during dusk or dawn. Metaphorically, the film is about a hard-hitting on untouchability as well as the way of using constitutional rights. The film is a satire on Indian political system as it is rightly conveyed by Nishad during his conversation with Ayan about the political leaders that they ignore the constitution but they swear by it.

“ये उस किताब की नहीं चलने देते जिसकी ये शपथ 

लेते है।”

References-

• “Article 15 (Film).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 6 July 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_15_(film).

• “Article 15 Movie Review: Ayushmann Khurrana's Film Is Important, Powerful and Superbly Made.” News18, News18, 29 June 2019, www.news18.com/news/movies/article-15-movie-review-ayushmann-khurranas-film-is-important-powerful-and-superbly-made-2209041.html.

•  “Article 15 Review {4/5}: Relevant, Compelling and a Film That Will Spark Conversation.” The Times of India, The Times of India, 26 June 2019, timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/article-15/movie-review/69952265.cms.

• Joshi, Namrata. “'Article 15' Review: Wild, Wild Heartland.” The Hindu, The Hindu, 28 June 2019, www.thehindu.com/entertainment/reviews/article-15-movie-review/article28195577.ece.

• Palat, Lakshana N. “Article 15 Movie Review: Ayushmann Khurrana Film Makes You 

• Uncomfortable.” India Today, 28 June 2019, www.indiatoday.in/movies/reviews/story/article-15-movie-review-ayushmann-khurrana-film-makes-you-uncomfortable-1557449-2019-06-28.

• Shyam, Kumar. “'Article 15' Movie Review: This Is a Film That Everyone in India Needs to See.” The National, The National, 27 June 2019, www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/film/article-15-movie-review-this-is-a-film-that-everyone-in-india-needs-to-see-1.879715.

Thank you.