Nawazuddin Siddiqui is unapologetically Manto, this trailer is proof

The trailer for Nandita Das' directorial Manto is finally here and as expected, it was worth the wait.

"Bol ke lab azaad hai! This Independence Day, let's celebrate the freedom that Manto stood for," tweeted Nawazuddin Siddiqui who plays writer Saadat Hasan Manto in the film while releasing the trailer on social media.

The film will cover a period of seven years in Manto's life (from 1946-1952), which was a very important phase in the history of the subcontinent. In the three-minute long trailer, Siddiqui asks some pertinent questions, which are still as relevant as ever in these trying times of media censorship. The dialogues are well-written and their delivery by Siddiqui all the more riveting.

We see Manto, who was known for not mincing words standing in a courtroom defending his freedom to write what he pleases (and what is true). "My stories are mirrors for society to see itself" he explains.

Another thought-provoking bit is when he asks: “Jab gulaam the, toh azaadi ka khwab dekhte the, Aur ab azaad hai, toh kaunsa khwab dekhenge (When we were enslaved, we would dream of freedom. Now that we are free, what will we dream of?)”

Talking about Manto, Das said earlier: "Saadat Hasan Manto is celebrated as one of the greatest modern-day short story writers of South Asia, and as the most controversial and provocative one. Manto had no regard for authority nor did he respect imposed rules. Known for his irreverence and satire, he had an irrepressible desire to poke a finger in the eye of the orthodoxy."

Manto's cast also includes Rasika Duggal, Rishi Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, Ila Arun and Rajshri Deshpande, with Javed Akhtar making his screen debut.

The movie is slated for release on September 21, 2018.