Ananth Narayan Mahadavan Wraps ‘Phule,’ Film About India’s First Mahatma (EXCLUSIVE)

Eminent filmmaker Ananth Narayan Mahadevan is in post-production on “Phule,” about the pioneers of women’s education in India.

Jyotirao Govindrao Phule and his wife Savitribai were social reformers known for their efforts against India’s endemic caste system. Phule’s first school for girls was founded in Pune, western India, in 1848. In 1873, Jyotirao Phule and his followers began the Satyashodhak Samaj (Truth-seekers’ Society) to campaign for increased rights for the underprivileged. In 1888, the honorific Mahatma (great soul), a term later used to describe Gandhi, was accorded to Phule.

“The two of them are lethal, the husband and wife, because at a time when the girl child was being refused education and just pushed into marriage, Jyotirao chose to actually educate his little wife – she was just 11 at that time, he was 17 when they got married, because it was the time of child marriage,” Mahadevan told Variety.

Many of the issues that the Phules faced during their time remain relevant in today’s world. “It’s still there, it’s prevalent, all the issues that they addressed,” Mahadevan said. “Have I made a film that’s historic or futuristic? That’s the question you ask at the end of the film. We still haven’t sorted these issues out, whether it’s here [India] or the rest of the world. Gender discrimination and caste discrimination is prevalent everywhere today. The Phules emerge as icons for this fight that has been going on for generations.”

“Have we taken 10 steps back instead of taking two steps forward, or are we addressing this issue? So that makes this film very potent and we have treated it on an epic scale,” Mahadevan said.

The Phules are played by Pratik Gandhi (SonyLIV series “Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story”) and Patralekhaa Paul (“CityLights”). The film is produced by Dancing Shiva Productions’ Ritesh Kudecha, Anuya Chauhan Kudecha and Pranay Chokshi, who previously teamed on “The Tashkent Files” (2019), and Suunil Jaiin of Kingsmen Productions. “Phule” will hit the festival circuit in early 2024.

“Phule” is Mahadevan’s 24th feature as director in a career where he is also a noted film, television and theater actor. His film 2010 film “Mee Sindhutai Sapkal” bowed at the BFI London Film Festival and won best screenplay and the special jury prize at India’s National Film Awards. His “Bittersweet” and “The Storyteller” were nominated for Busan’s Kim Ji-seok award in 2020 and 2022 respectively. “The Storyteller,” which is based on a story by Oscar-winning Indian master Satyajit Ray, is now gearing up for its India release and will throw its hat in the ring to be India’s entry for the 2023-24 Oscars in the international feature category.

Mahadevan’s next feature is an as-yet-untitled project based on a true incident where the protagonist, who is adopted, visits his birth mother to find out why he was abandoned at birth. Doing so is revelatory.

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