Aligarh
Manoj Bajpayee, the GOAT.
What a phenomenal actor. The way he pulls you in purely through his performance and dialogue delivery is so beautiful. He fully immerses himself into the character, nailing the voice, mannerisms and energy of a 64-year-old senior citizen to perfection. One of the finest. A master. I am so mesmerized by his performance here that I can barely think clearly about anything else.
Rajkummar Rao almost matches him, which is saying a lot. He perfectly captures the traits and energetic vibe of a young guy, and together, both leads depict the age gap between their characters so convincingly. Ashish Vidyarthi is great as the lawyer in his limited appearance, and it was lovely to spot Ishwak Singh here too.
The story is so warm and heartwarming. Hansal Mehta smartly chooses a calm and quiet approach that allows the strong themes of the film to marinate in silence, making you feel each emotion to its fullest depth. Love Hansal Mehta as a director always. The story never complicates things to push any personal narrative and stays focused on the life of the person it is based on. The vibe and atmosphere of the city seeps through the houses and streets beautifully.
The only valid criticism is that some scenes could have been trimmed or removed entirely, as they do not add much to the story. But that is a minor complaint in an otherwise deeply moving film.