The screening of Jai Bhim Comrade, a documentary by Anand Patwardhan, was held recently at Suchitra Cinema and Cultural Academy. The documentary is a power-packed metaphor and an ode to the flag-holder of Dalit woes, Vilas Ghogre. The screening saw an overwhelming response.
The film revolves around the horrors faced by the Dalit community in Maharashtra and their stories. Shot for over 14 years, the film presents their emotions and the true picture of what the Dalits in the country have to face on a daily basis in Maharashtra.
The film has police officials admitting on record that money plays a pivotal role in buying justice. "I wanted to continue filming till all the false cases against the people in the colony were removed, or until the police officers who had ordered the firing were sent to jail," said Patwardhan when asked about the time span he took to make the film.
"This movie brings out the sensibilities of the Dalits and their real story. I never knew that such things are so rampant even now.
This movie is an eye-opener for me," said Avinash, who had come to watch the film.
Along with the screening of the movie, thinkers, writers and activists took part in a conference, where an attempt was made to interrogate and draw the fault lines of contemporary Dalit politics in India.
"A seminar was held right after the screening of the movie, which focussed on various aspects of the Dalit issues and how the politics around Maharashtra is so highly charged up based on Dalits and non-Dalits," said Feroze, a film student, who had also come to watch the show.
The movie touches upon the past and present of Dalit history, for instance when Dr B R Ambedkar's statue in Mumbai's Ramabai Colony was desecrated in 1997, angry crowds gathered there. The police opened fire, killing 10 unarmed Dalits. Vilas Ghogre, an activist, poet and singer, hung himself in despair.
In the present context, the film shows the aftereffects of Khairlanji incident on the Dalits and the non-Dalits. Four members of a Dalit family were murdered on September 29, 2006. The Bhotmange family belonged to the Dalit underclass and were slaughtered in Khairlanji, a small village in Maharashtra. The women of the family were paraded naked in public, before being murdered.
"We all knew about the Khairlanji incident, but other incidents never came to the fore. The film captures the very truth of caste and has brought out so many new stories. These stories would have been hidden if Patwardhan did not make the film," summed up Shweta, who had come to see the film.