9 Years of Aligarh: Hansal Mehta says, “It has a deep connection with the voice of Lataji”

By Subhash K. Jha -

February 28, 2024 - 1:26 PM IST

In the acutely thought-provoking Aligarh, which is about a homosexual man’s right to privacy, Manoj Bajpai playing the disgraced professor Srinivas Ramchandra Sirus, sits alone in his dingy one-bedroom professor’s quarter, with a drink in hand and a Lata Mangeshkar song by his side.

9 Years of Aligarh: Hansal Mehta says, “It has a deep connection with the voice of Lataji”

In the semi-darkness, in a room lit by dim hope, Srinivas listens to the Melody Queen’s Aap ki nazron nesamjha pyaar ke qaabil mujhe , that timeless Madan Mohan composition from the film Anpadh. The song plays on a rickety portable sound machine. But its sound resonates across the professor’s silent universe,like a melodic meteor cutting through a sky of solitude.

Hansal is all praise for the actors and technicians in Aligarh. “It will stand out forever for Manoj’s great performance, Rajkummar’s understated brilliance, Satya Rai Nagpaul’s evocative mood and Apurva Asrani’s passionate writing. Worked with exceptional people in this film including costume designer Pia Benegal, sound designer Mandar Kulkarni, composer Karan Kulkarni and production designer Neil Chowdhury.”

And one more memorable episode associated with Aligarh. “How can I forget that moment where Manoj listens to Madan Mohan and Lataji’s Aapki nazron ne… one of the most sublime moments where time stands still, and magic takes over.”

Hansal Mehta’s remarkable film Aligarh about a disgraced gay Professor who lost his job for his sexual orientation, is in many ways a tribute to the eternal voice of Lata Mangeshkar. In the film Manoj Bajpai who plays the homosexual professor, is a diehard fan of Lata Mangeshkar. Director Hansal Mehta has used Lataji’s songs extensively to accentuate the protagonist’s isolation and loneliness.

Two of Lataji’s most beloved numbers Aapki nazron ne samjha pyar ke qabil mujhe (from the film Anpadh) and Betaab dil ki tamanna yehi hai (from the film Hanste Zakhm) both composed by Madan Mohan, have been used very prominently as part of protagonist’s journey.

Manoj Bajpai playing the disgraced professor Srinivas Ramchandra Sirus, sits alone in his dingy one-bedroom professor’s quarter, with a drink in hand and a Lata Mangeshkar song by his side.

In the semi-darkness, in a room lit by dim hope, Srinivas listens to the Melody Queen’s Aap ki nazron ne samjha pyaar
ke qaabil mujhe, that timeless Madan Mohan composition from the film Anpadh. The song plays on a rickety portable sound machine. But its sound resonates across the professor’s silent universe, like a melodic meteor cutting through a sky of solitude.

It’s a life-defining moment. Director Hansal Mehta holds the unflinchingly intimate camera with ruthless resilience on his protagonist Manoj Bajpai’s face. For a good 5-7 minutes we see Bajpai’s respond to the amazing lyrics by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, with Lata Mangeshkar’s voice imbuing the words with impassioned immortality, the Professor’s emotions swell up and spill over, his face gradually collapsing into a map of a broken heart.

It’s a lengthy sequence with no cuts. For most of the film there are only two characters on screen. The Professor and his solitude. Sometimes they are joined by an affable journalist from Delhi . The greatness of Aligarh as a cinematic achievement comes entirely from the way Hansal Mehta captures the protagonist’s isolation.

Says Hansal, “Aligarh is, among other things, a homage to Lataji’s voice. I am a huge fan of her singing and of Madan Mohan’s compositions. And my film’s protagonist Prof Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras was a crazy fan of hers. When Lataji had turned 60 Prof Siras had written poems in her honour.”

Hansal further reveals that Lataji’voice is a huge influence on the gay community. In fact her most intimate songs of heartbreak like Chalte chalte yuhi koi mila gaya ttha(Pakeezaah) and Jaane kyon log mohabbat kiya karte hain
(Mehboob Ki Mehndi) connect deeply with the gay communities sense of unfulfilled love and incomplete relationships that they often have to face.

Brimming with fond recollection Hansal says, “Aligarh remains special and very close to my heart. I would love to just re-watch it on a big screen for its silences, melancholy, and mood.” NRI gay Indian’s journey as accentuated by the songs of Lataji.