'Every character in Aligarh moved me'

Candid talk

Filmmaker Karan Johar says he can relate to Hansal Mehta’s film Aligarh and every character in the film emotionally moved him.

“I related to the film, that means I related to each and every character. I was upset by the treatment meted out to the character by certain people, which means that it was performed efficiently,” Johar said after the film’s screening, reported IANS.

“More than having my sympathy, it had my thought engaged. It has made me think, it made me question, it’s aroused me in a certain way and I think that’s what films should do. It should make you get out of the cinema, think about it and have a strong opinion,” he said.

The film is based on the real-life of Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras, a professor of Aligarh Muslim University who was removed from his job for homosexuality.

Manoj Bajpayee plays the role of the professor while Rajkummar Rao plays a journalist.
“I’m very emotionally moved by the film. Not just the outstanding performances by the lead actors Manoj Bajpayee and Rajkummar Rao, Hansal Mehta has made a beautiful and a thought-provoking film,” Johar said.

“It’s important that producer and director have a responsibility that they make a film like this that not only move you and emotionally enrich you, but they also make you think after you go home. This film required everybody’s support, I hope most people will be moved because it’s a film that you must see,” he said.

Aligarh is slated to release on February 26.