Aligarh may have been in the thick of controversies when released but the film picks up a sensitive subject and deals with it keeping all sensitivities in mind. Manoj Bajpayee takes the story to a different level with his acting and expressions all through the film.
Though mostly revolving around Manoj Bajpayee, the actor manages to maintain his grounded streak to show his class .
Together with writer Apurva Ansari, Hansal Mehta is able to strike a chord cinematically. Ironically the movie was banned in Aligarh.
Siras in the Hansal Mehta film is shown as a man who is a Marathi Professor in the Aligarh Muslim University. A man who likes liquor, literature especially poetry and has an inclination towards Lata Mangeshkar songs. He is driven out of the University and his small home for his sexual orientation.
Not stressing on the words gay or homosexual, Mehta creates a plot which is ever unravelling by way of a conversation between a journalist Deepu ( Rajkumar Rao ) and Siras played by Manoj Bajpayee.
Deepu comes across a story in a paper after which he pursues the story in an unbiased manner with colleague Tashi.
Siras is suspended from the University for having a sexual encounter with the same sex ( a rickshawwallah ). Filmed by two individuals reportedly journalists turns out eventually to be a plot hatched by the management to sideline him.
Its moments like when Siras tells the journalist – I too had a girlfriend but she left me after she got bored of me that in a very subtle way talks of some hidden emotions in Siras. While Siras refuses to talk of his sexual orientation he does drop hints when he says how do I explain certain urges which I cannot explain. After a long case and heated arguments when Siras finally emerges the winner in the case, it is a touching moment when before he gives up his life he says Soch Raha Hoon America Chala Jaoon Shayad Wohin Hum Jaison Ke Liye Jagah Hai.
Siras’ ‘case’ takes off from the historic 2009 Delhi High Court judgement that decriminalizes homosexuality, and is fought by a legal eagle (Ashish Vidyarthi)for whom privacy in a bedroom is the focal point of his argument.
Siras was suspended from AMU but took the matter up to the Allahabad High Court. He won the case but was found dead soon after in mysterious circumstances.
The short lived exoneration and Siras’ visible discomfort across the film stands out.
Manoj Bajpayee makes Siras someone whose tender nature is up for examination and someone whose mannerisms need to be compassionately understood.
Siras at 64 has greying hair curling at the temples, wears a worn out suit and has an old blanket draped around shoulders when home.
A victim of jealousy and conspiracy after being promoted to head the department of Modern Indian Languages, Siras explains his predicament saying “Bahar ka admi mana jata hu, Shadishuda logo ke beech akela rehta hu, Urdu bolne wale sheher mein Marathi seekhata hun.
Storytelling aside, Aligarh speaks volumes of Manoj Bajpayee’s acting prowess.
Aligarh is not a first in the genre that delves into homosexual relationships. Onir’s films My Brother Nikhil and I Am or Karan Johar’s short in Bombay Talkies are classic cases that this is nothing new.
Hansal Mehta is known to buck the trend with films like Citylights and Shahid
We’ve seen Bajpayee play different shades. From a grim cop in Shool to Bhikhu Mhatre (Satya) and Sardaar Khan (Gangs of Wasseypur), Bajpayee plays each character with great elan, but Siras is a different ballgame altogether.
Bajpayee associated with theatre productions like Netua, Jab Shehar Hamara Sota Hai, Baghdad ka Ghulam, Suno Re Kissa, Uljhan etc.
Be it Swabhimaan on TV or Man Singh in Bandit Queen it’s been an interesting run for Bajpayee.
Between Satya and Pinjar some of his memorable roles were in Aks or the elegant maharaja of Zubeidaa. Rajneeti and Aarakshan added to his repertoire.
During the Aligarh conroversy an unusual new 11-minute film, Tandav too surfaced online, where Bajpayee plays a stressed-out policeman, head constable Tambe.
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