Feb. 26, 2016|India|114 Min.|Not Rated
Genre: Bollywood;Drama
Description: Aligarh is a 2015 Indian biographical drama directed by Hansal Mehta and written by Apurva Asrani, starring Manoj Bajpayee and Rajkummar Rao. The film premiered at the 20th Busan International Film Festival, earning a standing ovation, and was released globally on February 26, 2016, to critical acclaim. Manoj Bajpayee received widespread praise and a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Ramchandra Siras.
Set in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, the film tells the true story of Ramchandra Siras, a Marathi professor and head of the Classical Modern Indian Languages Faculty at Aligarh Muslim University, who was suspended on moral grounds. He was also removed from his role as Reader and Chair of Modern Indian Languages.
The story begins when Siras’s privacy is violated by a local TV crew who forcefully enter his home and film him in an intimate moment with a male rickshaw-puller. As a result, Siras is compelled to leave his university housing and faces suspension. A sympathetic journalist takes up his case, leading to a court ruling in his favor, revoking his suspension. However, before Siras can return to his position, he is found dead.
The film highlights the struggles and injustices faced by Siras, shedding light on themes of privacy, morality, and societal prejudices.
Cast director: Hansal Mehta
Cast actor: Sukhesh Arora, Manoj Bajpayee, Balaji Gauri, Sumit Gulati, Dilnaz Irani, K.R. Parmeshwar, Rajkummar Rao, Ishwak Singh, Nutan Surya, Suman Vaidya
Original name: Aligarh