Tag Archives: Ayushmann Khurrana

Article 15 (2019)

Article 15 Review

written by Souranath Banerjee

The most significant Indian Cinema of the last few decades!

My Ratings: 4.3/5

1949. Let us begin from the very beginning. A quick recap.

‘… shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of race, religion, caste, sex and place of birth.’ – Indian Constitution. Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar. Fundamental Rights. Right to Equality. Article 15.

Fast-forward to 2014. Badaun gang rape allegations –  a true incident that happened at Budaun district, Uttar Pradesh; two teenage girls went missing and the following morning they were found hanging from a tree. It was a case of gang rape and murder, which both the local police and the CBI tried their best to cover up. Why? Because the murdered girls were poor and belonged to the Dalit community (the untouchables). And the murderers were from the Upper-Class, the rich and the influential.

The film Article 15 directed by Anubhav Sinha (of Mulk fame) is based on the above mentioned tragedy. The movie also takes inspiration from a number of other incidents from across India where people are being humiliated on a daily basis, condemned and tortured, and denied justice just because they belong to a particular caste.

Agar sab barabar ho jaayenge toh raja kaun banega?” (If we all become equal, then who will be the king?)

Farq bahut kar liya, ab farq laayenge.

Ayushmann Khurrana (who has mastered the art of choosing great scripts) does a fabulous job portraying the man who is desperate to change the system by being a part of the system. Thankfully not portrayed as an outsider, otherwise the script shouldn’t have worked so well. Kumud Mishra, Ashish Verma – both play pivotal roles and plays them to perfection. Sayani Gupta and Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub, though having limited screen time still manages to make an impact on the audience.

But Manoj Pahwa is the man who grabs the spotlight; his performance as the corrupt cop eager to derail the case is an absolute delight to watch!

Let’s be Indians firstly and lastly.

Special mention to Ewan Mulligan’s cinematography which brilliantly escalates the suspense and also gives the film the much needed feel of reality. Music by Mangesh Dhakde is so well balanced, just enough to maintain the intensity of the film.

Since Satyajit Ray‘s exquisite drama Sadgati (1981) starring Om Puri, Smita Patil and Mohan Agashe, hardly any other filmmaker have attempted to touch the sensitive subject of Caste-discrimination. And thus Article 15, a superbly directed social-thriller by Anubhav Sinha is surely the most significant Indian Cinema of the last few decades!

A film that dares to shed light over the sinister shadows of our civilisation, on the darkness that a nation unanimously prefers to ignore, on a curse that have been burning human lives for generations. Someone needs to put out the fire that torches the innocents, someone must heal the wounds, and put an end to this vintage shame. Someone must help us regain our faith in humanity!

But as Article 15 effectively points out – the real problem is that we are still waiting for that ‘someone’.

That someone needs to be Us.

Article 15 Trailer. YouTube.

P.S. According to the study of NCRB data on Caste Discrimination in India, the atrocities committed against SC and ST women are disturbingly high; statistics of the year 2016 alone shows 2541 rapes and 786 murders. That too, only half of these crimes are said to be officially reported.

Poster courtesy: www.imdb.com

Best of Bollywood Thrillers 2017 and 2018 (10+1List)

Best of Bollywood Thrillers 2017 and 2018

written by Souranath Banerjee

Nowadays thrillers are back in demand. But then again there’s always an appetite for thrilling stories in Bollywood, the problem is on the supply end of it.

Let’s face it, well made Indian thrillers are rare to find but fortunately this year we have just enough of Bollywood thrillers to make an entertaining list!

Hope you have seen them all, if not then go ahead and have a thrilling life!

10. The Ghazi Attack (2017)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn2qOnKuOoc

Inspired by true events from the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971.

The film reveals the true story behind the mysterious sinking of the US loaned Pakistani submarine PNS Ghazi when it stealthy ventured the shore of Visakhapatnam to destroy Indian aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.

Directed by Sankalp Reddy, superb plot, a tad overdramatic but then again an entertaining thriller and surely India’s first ever Submarine war movie.

9. Blackmail (2018)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDF1qdUtbzw

A man finds out that his wife is having an affair. But instead of the typical agitated confrontation, he secretly blackmails his wife’s lover for money!

Directed by Abhinay Deo, a comedy thriller pretty similar to the director’s earlier film Delhi Belly, the characters spiralling down through a vortex of chaos and mayhem. Irrfan Khan makes the film worth your time.

8. Raid (2018)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3h4thS-Hcrk

The story of a fearless Income-tax officer who dared to raid the mansion of the most powerful man in Lucknow!

Directed by Raj Kumar Gupta, based on several real accounts of challenging tax-raids where influential people will go to any length to stop the officers from doing their work honestly.

Ajay Devgn and Saurabh Shukla at their best.

7. Mom (2017)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hctApy_i-qg

Veteran actress Sridevi‘s last film as a protagonist, this is a perfect revenge thriller where a ‘mom’ when denied justice in the courtroom seeks vengeance over her daughter’s abusers in her own way.

Directed by Ravi Udyawar, often predictable but with fine performances from Akshaye Khanna and Nawazuddin Siddiqui the film stands out as a decent thriller.

6. Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran (2018)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN_9DnBh3hM

On 13 May 1998 Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee held a press conference to declare India as a nuclear state!

Directed by Abhishek Sharma, this film portrays the story of how Captain Ashwat Raina (played by John Abraham) plans and executes the mission of India’s second confidential nuclear test series at Pokhran.

Not only a thrilling story but a historic moment of triumph for our country portrayed in this film.

5. Monsoon Shootout (2017)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdbAgeowew8

To shoot or not to shoot, that is the question! A rookie cop’s first assignment and he has to take a decision that will affect his life professionally and personally for ever.

Directed by Amit Kumar, good storytelling (structurally innovative), superb performances by  Vijay Varma, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Neeraj Kabi and Tannishtha Chatterjee. A must watch thriller indeed.

4. Tigers (2018)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJxsiUvccuM

Coming from the Oscar winning director of No Man’s Land (2001) Danis Tanovic, this is the story of a pharmaceutical salesman in Pakistan (played by Emraan Hashmi) who challenges a multinational health care corporation realising that they are responsible for the death of hundreds of babies everyday!

Based upon a true tragic incident that took place in Pakistan in late 1990s and early 2000.

3. Ittefaq (2017)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvfvoCdPrII

Kind of a remake of B.R. Chopra‘s 1969 film Ittefaq, directed by B.R. Chopra’s grandson Abhay Chopra.

One crime scene, two suspects and their two contradicting versions of the same murder, it is time for the detective to decide which story to believe and who to arrest!

Starring Sidharth Malhotra, Sonakshi Sinha and Akshaye Khanna this is one thriller that keeps the suspense till the end.

2. Raazi (2018)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjMSttRJrhA

A brave Indian woman from Kashmir marries a Pakistani officer with a dangerous motive to spy on the Pakistani army.

Directed by Meghna Gulzar, superb acting by Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal and Rajit Kapoor.

An adaption of Harinder Sikka’s novel “Calling Sehmat” based of true events during 1971 Indo-Pak war. Surely the best spy movie of India till date.

1. Andhadhun (2018)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iVYI99VGaw

A blind pianist must report a crime which he never saw! But then he seems to be always in the wrong place in the wrong time to see what a blind man should never have seen!

Brilliantly crafted by my favourite director  Sriram Raghavan, super cool performances by Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu and Radhika Apte. Undoubtedly one of the best thriller of recent times!

and (The ‘+1’ film is not necessarily the best but certainly the most innovative one. A must watch)

+1. Pihu (2018)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhWLhuEhXm4

Here comes an out-of-the-box Bollywood concept – a cute two year old girl who finds her mom not waking up and Dad out at work, tries her best to make herself at home!

Directed by Kapri Vinod, beautifully performed by child-actor Pihu Myra Vishwakarma. Shot in one location, one character – a thrilling 1st half that goes a bit repetitive in the 2nd. A very different kind of thriller; according to me such innovative ideas should be encouraged more often!

A few other thrillers though not on the list but still worth your time are BaazaarLove Sonia, In the Shadows AjjiGurgaon, and Long Live Brij Mohan.

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 Poster courtesy: www.imdb.com.