Premium13 years of Aarakshan: Exploring Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone's controversial film on caste-based reservations
It's been 13 years since Aarakshan was released, a film that challenged India’s reservation policies and sparked widespread debate.
Last Updated: 09.47 AM, Aug 12, 2024
13 years have passed since the release of Prakash Jha's film Aarakshan. The film, starring Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, Manoj Bajpayee, and Prateik Babbar, is a 2011 political drama. The contentious policy of caste-based reservations in Indian government jobs and educational institutions serves as the backdrop for this social-political drama. Aarakshan is available to stream on multiple OTT platforms, including JioCinema, Prime Video, ShemarooMe (OTTplay Premium), and Lionsgate Play (OTTplay Premium).
Main characters and Aarakshan plot summary
Amitabh Bachchan portrays Dr. Prabhakar Anand, the principal of STM College, as a model citizen. Deepak (Saif Ali Khan), one of his lower-caste protégés, is unemployed due to his origins. Deepika Padukone's Poorbi and Pratiek Babbar's Sushant comfort him. Dr. Anand employs him as a teacher at STM. Prior to the Supreme Court's decision on backward class reservation, everything was going smoothly. Despite Deepak's satisfaction with the court's decision, Sushant, who belongs to the general category and faces denial of admission to a public university due to his exceptional academic credentials, is not pleased. As a result, Sushant and Deepak eventually get along again. Unfortunately, Dr. Anand's intervention makes things worse. When will the rising tensions between the various castes finally subside?
As per reports, the original casting call went to Ajay Devgn, but he was already committed to a number of other projects, such as Golmaal 3 and Singham. Jha chose Khan for the role. Since he was required to study Sanskrit for his part in the film, he had a very difficult time juggling the two projects simultaneously. Anand Kumar, the creator of Bihar's Super 30, taught Bachchan and Khan math.
Controversy surrounding the film's production
Local authorities in Bhopal demolished the Aarakshan sets in early May 2011, citing their construction on disputed territory as a major source of controversy. Pro-Dalit organisations in Kanpur protested Khan's portrayal as a Dalit. They took offence to the actor's portrayal as a "Dalit" and his royal family heritage.
The states of Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh prohibited the film prior to its theatrical premiere. The Punjab government prohibited the film, fearing it would inflame the passions of specific communities. The Mayawati government banned the film in UP for two months, fearing it could disrupt the state's law and order.
After receiving complaints about the movie's harmful content, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) watched it. P.L. Punia, chair of the NCSC, said in a statement that the film's anti-Dalit and anti-reservation dialogues are quite heavy. Nevertheless, the Board assured Jha that it would uphold his right to free speech, leading to the certification of the film as U/A. In response, the filmmaker opted to cut out "objectionable" parts of the video in an effort to quell any potential backlash.
Legal battle over the film's release
The makers of Aarakshan, including Jha, petitioned the Supreme Court to reverse the three states' bans on the film. The Supreme Court subsequently lifted the ban on Aarakshan in Uttar Pradesh. The Supreme Court unexpectedly banned the film from playing at several Gurgaon multiplexes on the night of its release, extending the previously announced bans.
Aarakshan had a mixed reception upon its August 12, 2011 release, and the box office receipts were below average.