Director: Hansal Mehta
Writers: Ishani Banerjee(story), Apurva Asrani(screenplay)
Stars: Sukhesh Arora, Manoj Bajpayee, Balaji Gauri
STORY:-Hansal Mehta’s Aligarh comes at an important time when the Supreme Court has ruled in favour of reopening the debate on gay rights in India. The film has its own pace and fabric as it narrates the story of 64 year old Prof Siras of Aligarh University who was suspended from the organization for being a homosexual. Based on a true story,
Hansal Mehta touches upon several issues and topics apart from gay rights in this two hour long biopic.
Manoj Bajpayee plays Siras who teaches Marathi in Aligarh University. An incident changes his life overnight when members of his staff intrude his house and catch him having sex with another man. He’s immediately labelled an outcast and suspended from his position. What follows is the entry of Deepu(Rajkummar Rao) a journalist who takes interest in Siras’s case and wants to throw light on his situation. All through the film, there are long drawn moments of silence and pauses that like poetry have meaning if you let them seep into your consciousness.
Last year, it was Manjhi-The Mountain Man, Bajirao Mastani followed by Airlift and Neerja. The best part of watching these biographies is the inspiring and motivating stories which has resulted to outstanding appreciation from both audience and critics. It takes courage and guts to make a film like Aligarh.
A big thumbs up for brilliant direction, admiring performances and electrifying screenplay.