Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha's next, after the acclaimed Mulk (2018), is another gritty look at the rising internal conflicts the country faces. Set in northern India, Article 15 follows one police officer's fight to get to the bottom of a case where two girls have been raped, assaulted and murdered, with another girl missing.
As the new officer in the region, Ayushmann Khurrana's Ayan is unfazed and determined. He sets out to seek justice for the murdered girls and their families. Along the way, he is made aware of the social, religious, and caste differences of those around him.
Seeking inspiration from the Constitution, he highlights Article 15 which enforces the "prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth" as he fights for what is right.
The actor, who is playing a police officer for the first time in his career, is surrounded by an ensemble cast that includes Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, Sayani Gupta, Isha Talwar, and Nassar. Based on true events from around the country, the film brings to life the ugly incidents of religious and caste discrimination that have been on the rise.
The opening scenes show the bleakness of the horrendous crimes against the girls, highlighted by cinematographer Ewan Mulligan, and Sinha's film builds our anger at the casualness with which human life is mistreated. Like the teaser, the trailer builds on a quote by Dr BR Ambedkar and states: Let's be Indians, firstly and lastly.
Article 15 is due to be released on 28 June. Watch the trailer below and let us know if you are keen to watch this film.