Indian cinema or Bollywood has taken a huge leap in recent years. From having melodramatic sequences to movies like ‘Pyar-Mohabbat-Ishq’, it has come a long way. From spreading propaganda to stepping up into social ‘artivism’, Indian filmmakers are putting more thought into their filmmaking.
Released on 28th June, Article 15, is one such attempt in the latter category. Such films need to be commended for their courage to start a discussion about something that is most often hidden in Indian society; for turning eyes to issues that remain behind closed doors, and are hushed away into deep gorges where none can reach.
‘Article 15’ has been praised by audiences for hitting hard on the harsh realities of the country like discrimination based on caste. Believed to be inspired by multiple true incidents, this film deserves accolades for sensitising people to matters that are rarely spoken about, even if only for two hours or so.
Are We Failing The Founders Of Our Constitutions?
After seven decades of independence and swearing-in as a republic, somewhere we have failed our history, and its leaders, who struggled for years through debates and discussions, giving us a constitution, to create the ‘perfect land’. Those men whose statues we very proudly carve out and pay tribute to would have been surely nothing but disappointed to see the state of affairs in India today. ‘Article 15’ definitely makes us recall and reminisce the ‘dreams of the dead’, and to question ourselves as to where we stand.
India’s Police Force: Weakest In The World?
A deeper and closer scrutiny of the film would reveal that there is more to the story. Inhumane, shameful acts of discrimination, exploitation, rape and torture are the outer layer of the vicious sphere of society, there lies more as we dig beneath. The socio-political reality of incompetent authorities and damaged state of law and order in the country gets highlighted when there a police officer, Bhramadatt who continuously insists on closing the case in the name of honour-killing.
The CBI officer too seemed ignorant about the truth behind the case. This unwillingness and no effort on the part of the so-called ‘watchdogs of society’ to do what they signed up for is highly dismal. The enforcers of civil order are themselves the ‘violators’. Leaving us with – delayed delivery of justice; at times, no delivery at all.
A recent article by Livemint titled ‘India’s police force among the weakest in the world’ very well describes the distrust among people on the police force as “interactions are frustrating, time-consuming and costly”. I am sure hundreds of cases go unreported (along with no FIR lodged). Further adding to this is the strenuous process of courts. “There are 3.3 crore cases pending in Indian courts”, revealed by CJI Dipak Mishra last year, reported by Business Today. Meaning, justice and India lie at a great distance.
Not to forget the power dynamics, corruption, and politics prevalent at each door one opens – Bhramadatt and Nihal Singh’s involvement in the rape; conflict and commotion between Bhramadatt and Jatav; Bhramadatt’s threatening Dr. Malti etc. Also, Mahant ji’s alliance with the Dalit leader and the deliberate portrayal of consensus between the upper caste and the lower caste exposes the game plan that politicians often play for vote banks, and how the innocent and illiterate are tricked into it.
There also lies a story of a rebel and revolutionary, Nishaad, revealing how these ugly incidents lead to sidelining of common masses from the system in the country.
It also shows us how seeking justice turns some people towards unjust roads, of course, by shedding light on extreme rural backwardness and caste prejudices, Article 15 questions the rural-urban continuum and the nexus that’s missing, which people from either world aren’t aware of.
The need for officer Ayan Ranjan to put up ‘Article 15’ on the notice board brings forth the question of education and ignorance, where those responsible for safeguarding the decorum within society are not aware of the norms on which they should do so.
Finally, after sitting for two and a half hours, we are dismayed, shocked, and concerned, digesting the realities, as they are.
Although it is not the very first film to showcase the loopholes of our socio-political system, the successful delivery of the thought behind this film stands firmly on the script and portrayal, which is often blinded by the cast and stardom in others. Notwithstanding that, the to-the-point effortless acting of each actor needs to be appreciated.