A bruising cop thriller set in Uttar Pradesh, Article 15 tackles two of the most contentious themes in Indian society: the caste system and the culture of violence against women. And – fair warning – it tackles them with a thunderous lack of sensitivity, particularly given that the film is loosely based on a real-life gang rape and murder case. That said, the anger that propels the picture towards violence is authentic and the official corruption and collusion depicted are all too real. Director Anubhav Sinha, who also co-wrote, has an eye for the kind of searing image that drives home a point. And Ayushmann Khurrana, playing the good cop who can’t bring himself to look away to preserve “society’s balance”, combines soulful Bollywood heartthrob charisma with an arrestingly intense performance.
