E Buzz Season 2 Episode 352 Anurag Kashyap & Radhika Apte Praise Hansal Mehta's Aligarh!
- November 15, 2016
- 2 min
Anurag Kashyap and Radhika Apte are the special guests on this episode of E Buzz, and they are here to talk about their friend and colleague Hansal Mehta’s latest film, Aligarh. The film tells the true story of Dr. Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras, a professor at Aligarh Muslim University who was suspended from his post after a sting operation caught him having consensual sex with another man in his home. Siras subsequently fought a legal battle against the university and won, but tragically died a few months later under mysterious circumstances. Aligarh has received widespread critical acclaim for its sensitive and nuanced portrayal of Siras’ life and struggles.
Kashyap and Apte both expressed their admiration and respect for Mehta’s work on Aligarh, with Kashyap calling it one of the best films he had seen in recent years. They spoke at length about the film’s themes of bigotry and prejudice, and how Mehta had handled them with such sensitivity and intelligence. Apte recalled how Mehta’s script had moved her to tears, and how she had jumped at the chance to be a part of the film when she was offered the role of a journalist.
The hosts of E Buzz also had a chance to speak with Mehta himself, who joined the conversation via video conference. Mehta explained how he had been drawn to Siras’ story because of its universality – the fact that it could happen to anyone, anywhere, regardless of their sexual orientation. He also spoke about the challenges he faced in bringing the story to the screen, particularly in terms of finding the right balance between truth and sensitivity.
The episode also featured interviews with some of the other cast and crew members of Aligarh, including Manoj Bajpayee, who plays Siras in the film. Bajpayee spoke about the research he had done for the role, and how he had tried to understand the character’s complex psychology. He also praised Mehta for his direction, saying that he had created a safe and supportive environment on set where the actors could fully immerse themselves in their characters.
Overall, the episode of E Buzz was a thoughtful and engaging exploration of one of the most important and relevant films of recent times. Kashyap, Apte, and Mehta all spoke with passion and conviction about the issues raised by Aligarh, and the episode was a testament to the power of cinema to provoke thought and inspire change.