“It was a conspiracy against me,” a voice says.
“Because you are gay?” another responds.
“How can someone understand my feelings with three letters?”.
And thus begins the intriguing trailer of an upcoming Indian movie called “Aligarh” starring Manoj Bajpai and Rajkumar Yadav.
Still of Manoj Bajpai from the movie Aligarh (Photo courtesy YouTube)
It has been years, since a Hindi movie trailer stirred something inside me, a deep curiosity and intrigue to know what happens. Let me correct myself, it has been ages. And what is even more remarkable is the fact that the movie deals with a taboo theme of homosexuality and still does not seem frivolous in the least bit. Because Hindi movies have so far, very largely, only trivialized the subject of homosexuality and reduced gay characters to laughable stereotyped caricatures.
Aligarh, the movie, is based on a real life story of an AMU professor Dr Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras. He is caught on a sting having consensual sex with another man and is removed from the university. Social stigma follows. And a journalist too, who wants to get the real scoop. The professor decides to fight against his suspension from the university.
“What business do neighbours have looking into someone’s bedroom,” his lawyers asks in court.
From the look of the trailer, it seems that it probably is not about the fall of a gay professor, the story perhaps begins from the fall and follows his journey to redeeming himself and getting justice. Manoj Bajpai, the lead actor, shines in his heavy melancholy lines on love.
The movie seems very promising.
WATCH THE TRAILER:
SPOILER ALERT: In real life the Professor won his case and got his job back but was soon found dead under mysterious circumstance. Although, if the movie also explores that aspect is unknown.