In this era of sensationalism, we should appreciate director Anant Mahadevan for treating Phule with composure and not going overboard, notes Hemant Waje.
Against the backdrop of a deeply divided society, Phule tells the powerful story of India's first Mahatma, Jyotirao, his wife Savitribai and their relentless work towards girls' education, truth, reason and equality.
Most people know the Phules started India’s first school for girls but the film shows many other important things they did, highlighting their role as strong reformers who stood for equality and fraternity.
The biopic opens in 1897 during the bubonic plague outbreak in Poona (now Pune), where Savitribai (played by Patralekhaa) and the Phules' adopted son Yashwant (Darsheel Safary) are shown helping patients at a medical camp.
From there, the story goes back to 1848, where a younger Jyotiba (played by Pratik Gandhi) and Savitribai are secretly teaching girls from all castes with the support of two of Jyotiba’s Brahmin friends.
When the orthodox Brahmins find out about the school, they vandalise it and beat up Jyotiba.
Notably, they don’t harm the Brahmin men who helped him, highlighting how caste privilege worked even among reformers.
After facing threats from a Brahmin-dominated panchayat warning them of dire consequences, the Phules are forced to leave their home.
With the help of Jyotiba's college friend, Usman Sheikh, and his sister, Fatima, they continue their mission to fight for girls' education and equal rights.
The film's flow is simple without any overt or covert messaging. It is very direct and states what has happened in that period. It mostly sticks to history and never goes out of the scope of its subject.
It also shows the cruelty faced by people from lower castes.
In one scene, a man is shown with a pot hanging from his neck (for Brahmins to spit in) and a broom tied to his waist (to sweep away the footprints of the untouchables) -- symbols of the painful reality of untouchability.
Another scene shows how Brahmins are running from Phule's shadow.
Phule approaches each reform initiated by Jyotiba with care and without any exaggeration.
Take the incident of young Brahmin boys throwing cow dung at Savitribai and Fatima Sheikh (played by Akshaya Gurav), who are going to school to teach.
The director resists the temptation of using it repeatedly to show their struggle and gain sympathy, a refreshing contrast to the overdramatised tropes of current biopics.
The film also focuses attention on the Phules' lesser-known associates, including Fatima Sheikh, Usman Sheikh, Lahuji Raghoji Salve and Dr Vishram Ramji Ghole -- individuals who played key roles in the reform movement.
The film also touches on the criticism Phule faced for working with British officers and being seen as someone who was close to Christian missionaries.
In one scene, a British officer offers him a chance to convert to Christianity but the film handles it without judgment.
While the first half of the film moves slowly, the second half picks up pace.
It shows Phule's stand against other reforms like his criticism of widow tonsure, opening a shelter for discarded women and starting the Satyashodhak Samaj, an organisation that would challenge Brahmins' religion and their 'prathas'.
The film also includes a scene depicting a Satyashodhak marriage -- conducted without a priest and free from ritualistic excess -- followed by a courtroom battle defending its legitimacy.
Both Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa do justice to their characters.
Pratik gives a strong and composed performance as Jyotiba Phule. His dialogue deliveries are straightforward and not loud. However, a Gujarati accent is noticeable in some of the Marathi dialogues.
Patralekhaa as Savitribai starts off with a quieter characterisation but grows stronger as the film progresses, especially after the intermission.
Vinay Pathak as Jyotiba’s father and Sushil Pandey as the Phule's older brother come and go whenever they are needed.
The film has also shown a property dispute with Jyotiba and his brother.
In this era of sensationalism, we should appreciate director Anant Mahadevan for treating this biopic with composure and not going overboard.
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