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Aarakshan (2011)
Director: Prakash Jha
Movie review
From Time Out London
Bollywood’s latest attempt to push the envelope addresses the fallout of the ‘reservation’ system in higher education in India. Following an Indian Supreme Court ruling in 2008, it became mandatory for almost half of the available places at Indian State universities to be ‘reserved’ for students from the ‘backward castes’. Set in a Bhopal college, the plot focuses on fair-minded principal Prabhakar’s (Amitabh Bachchan) appointment of new teacher Deepak (Saif Ali Khan), a low-caste lad. This decision leads to resentment and to Prabhakar’s eventual resignation. This socially astute film never soft-pedals the complexity of this ‘affirmative action’ policy. It is marred by the usual bolly-excesses: an inordinate length, unnecessary songs and the miscasting of real-life royal-blood Khan as a ‘dalit’ (untouchable). Well acted, though.Author: Anil Sinanan
Time Out London Issue 2139
Cast & crew
Director: Prakash Jha
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, Hema Malini
Duration: 164 mins
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