Ananth Mahadevan, director of 'Phule', calls on the Brahmin community to view the film prior to judgment

Synopsis

Anant Mahadevan, director of 'Phule', calls upon the Brahmin community to watch the film before forming opinions. He discusses the film's content and alterations mandated by the censor board, emphasizing its impactful narrative on Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule's lives.

Key Takeaways

Anant Mahadevan urges the Brahmin community to view 'Phule' before judging.
The film portrays the lives of social reformers Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule.
Changes from the censor board were made to comply with regulations.
The film maintains its emotional impact despite edits.
'Phule' is set for release on April 25 with a U certificate.

Mumbai, April 19 (NationPress) Anant Mahadevan, the creator of "Phule", has urged the Brahmin community to watch the film before forming any conclusions. In a candid discussion with IANS, Mahadevan shared insights about the film, its themes, and the recommendations made by the censor board.

The biographical drama "Phule" narrates the journey of social reformers Jyotirao Govindrao Phule and his spouse Savitribai Phule. In the lead-up to its release, the film has encountered resistance from some factions within the Brahmin community, who expressed concerns over being depicted in a "negative light" after viewing the trailer.

In response, Anant Mahadevan has appealed to the Brahmin community to view the film first and then share their thoughts. He emphasized that all recommendations from the censor board have been respected.

Discussing the censor board's suggestions, Mahadevan remarked to IANS, "They were likely being overly cautious, providing various recommendations and adjustments that needed to be made- it wasn't a matter of cuts."

He reassured that despite these modifications, the film retains its emotional power. "We complied with their requests to follow the law, but I believe we have become somewhat too sensitive. Even if those terms were left unchanged, I doubt there would have been significant objections. Yet, we had to tone it down a bit, but trust me, this will not diminish the film's effectiveness," he stated.

Among the changes requested were the removal of terms like ‘Mang’, ‘Mahar’, and ‘Peshwai’. Additionally, a scene showing a ‘man carrying a broom’ was substituted with one depicting ‘boys throwing cow dung balls at Savitribai’, and the phrase ‘3000 saal purani gulami’ was altered to ‘Kai saal purani’, among other adjustments. Mahadevan invited everyone to experience "Phule" on April 25, noting that the film has received a clean U certificate from the censor board.

He also mentioned that the CBFC has endorsed the film, suggesting it should be viewed by the younger generation, as Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule ignited a revolutionary movement in their teens that continues today. The film features Pratik Gandhi as Jyotirao Phule and Patralekha as Savitribai Phule.