The most striking scene in Article 15 has not a word of dialogue.
We see a man climb out from a filthy, clogged drain. His expression is unfathomable as he is covered with an almost black slimy liquid. As he ducks again to remove more garbage, the man becomes invisible, but this image is stark – as unforgettable as it is unforgivable.
The garbage and overflowing gutters outside the police chowki are a physical manifestation of the rut that runs deep in the system. Even in 21st century India, manual scavenging is a grim reality – one that Bollywood has finally become brave enough to depict.
For the uninitiated, Article 15 of our Constitution states that “the State shall not discriminate on the basis of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.”
And that’s what this movie is about. Listen to the podcast for the full review:
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