2019 · Film
Article 15
Anubhav Sinha's crime drama in which a newly posted police officer, played by Ayushmann Khurrana, investigates the disappearance of three Dalit girls from a village in Uttar Pradesh.
Reviewed by Movie Mandala, Sat, 24 Oct, 2026
Where to watch
IndiaAs of 24 October 2026, Article 15 is streaming in India on Netflix with a subscription.
The story
Ayan Ranjan, an IPS officer educated in Delhi, takes up his first posting as Additional Superintendent of Police in Laalgaon, a village in rural Uttar Pradesh. He is quickly struck by how deeply caste governs daily life, which he discusses over the phone with his wife Aditi. At his welcome gathering, villagers beg the police to find three missing Dalit girls, but the local officers brush them off. When the case turns grave, Ayan decides to investigate himself, pushing against colleagues and local power.
Spoiler-free: only the set-up.
Who it suits
A grim police procedural of a little over two hours for adults and older teens. It deals with caste discrimination, sexual violence against minors and murder; the U/A certificate came with cuts, and the subject matter remains disturbing.
Curation to help you choose, not a review.
Background
Article 15 takes its title from the article of the Indian Constitution that prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. It is not based on a single event, but Wikipedia notes it was inspired by several real caste-related crimes, including the 2014 Badaun case. Anubhav Sinha wrote the screenplay with Gaurav Solanki, and filming began in Lucknow on 1 March 2019.
The film opened the 10th London Indian Film Festival on 20 June 2019 and released in Indian cinemas on 28 June 2019. Bollywood Hungama puts its worldwide gross at about ₹93 crore. At the 65th Filmfare Awards it won Best Film (Critics), shared with Sonchiriya, Best Actor (Critics) for Ayushmann Khurrana and Best Story. It also won Best Film (Critics) at the Screen Awards. A Tamil remake, Nenjuku Needhi, was released in May 2022.
The facts
- Language
- Hindi
- Hindi
- Hindi original
- Genre
- Crime drama, Investigative thriller
- Runtime
- 130 min
- Certificate
- U/A
- Director
- Anubhav Sinha
- Cast
- Ayushmann Khurrana, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, Isha Talwar, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub
Questions people ask
- Where can I watch Article 15 in India?
- As of 24 October 2026, Article 15 is streaming in India on Netflix with a subscription.
- Is Article 15 in Hindi?
- Yes. Article 15 is a Hindi-language film.
- Is Article 15 suitable for children?
- Article 15 has a CBFC U/A certificate, which means children under 12 should watch with a parent or guardian.
- How long is Article 15?
- Article 15 runs for 2 hours 10 minutes (130 minutes).