Director Hansal Mehta’s ‘Aligarh’ is based on the true story of Dr. Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras, a professor at the Aligarh Muslim University who was suspended after a sting operation exposed his sexual orientation.
A relevant movie at a time when Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code is a matter of debate, ‘Aligarh’ is not just about homosexuality but invasion of privacy as well.
The pace must have been deliberately kept slow and though it might test your patience, a few scenes stand out. In one of them, Manoj Bajpayee who plays Siras gets a little irked when he is called gay; replies his feelings cannot be summed up by a three-letter word. It’s because of scenes like this that ‘Aligarh’ works.
Performances are good. Manoj Bajpayee plays the ageing lonely outsider well. Not the actor’s best but definitely restrained and good. Rajkummar Rao is okay here and there is Ashish Vidyarthi who stands out among the supporting cast.
My Ratings
My Ratings
3.5
Like the director's National award-winning 'Shahid', this is a brave movie too; not as good as it but definitely better than his last film 'Citylights'. However, 'Aligarh' will go unnoticed.
