After watching Hansal Mehta’s critically acclaimed film `Aligarh’, Karan Johar reacted spontaneously and said, “I related to the film; I related to each and every character. I was upset by the treatment meted out to the character by certain people, which means that the film was made well……More than having my sympathy, it had me think a lot. It made me question, and I think that’s what films should do. It should make you get out of the cinema, think about it and form a strong opinion,” as reported.
Producer-Director Karan Johar, who had recently topped headlines with his statement that ‘speaking on personal life in India can land one in jail,’ said that the characters of Hansal Mehta directed film, `Aligarh’ are more thought-provocative than in many other films he has seen.
He said that it is important that filmmakers take up the responsibility to make such films, which will not only move you and emotionally enrich you, but also make you think after you go home.
Hansal Mehta who had previously made Shahid and Citylights, has come up with Aligarh, a real-life story of Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras, a professor of the Aligarh Muslim University who was caught having consensual sex with another man. After he was suspended, went to court and won his case, but eventually killed himself.
The movie is based on the fact that Section 377 had been struck down, meaning homosexuality was not illegal in India, and the university had no right to terminate his employment.
But that was in 2010, today of course 377 is back in effect, meaning if the same story happened today, the university would be legally within its rights to fire him.