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Dr.Babasaheb
Ambedkar is one of the finest historical
film made in Independent India. The movie is
a refreshing antidote to the way we have looked
at INDIA in this century. A work of cinematic
scholarship.
This film
takes place between the years 1901 to 1956,
a period of great social upheavals and revolutionary
movements around the world. In India during
this time, there were two struggles being fought
simultaneously; the first, which is well known
throughout the world, was India's fight for
independence spearheaded by Mahatma Gandhi,
against the British colonial powers. The second
struggle, much less well known but no less important
was an internal struggle. Seventy million Indian
untouchables, led by Dr. Ambedkar were fighting
for their rights against upper caste Hindu society.
This film holds its significance due to the
fact that, though the ethos contained is Indian,
it has its equation in the political and social
disparity all over the world. The basic aim
of the social revolution is to uphold the meaning
of humanity in its truest sense.
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The film has several narrative
threads. We trace how a boy born an untouchable,
into abject poverty rose to be a scholar-statesman,
national leader, and constitution maker. His
struggle against evil, a classic conflict, is
the central story around which everything else
hangs.
The film has an epic sweep that takes us through
sixty years, two world wars and three countries
- India, England and America. While Ambedkar was
firmly rooted in Maharashtra State, his life was
als international. The scenes in the film take
us from poor Indian villages to St. James’ Palace
in London; we see both the solitary struggle of
Ambedkar the man, as well as agitations that involve
thousands of people.
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We begin
with a scene that takes place in the present
- an atrocity against a lower caste man. It
takes more than a constitutional amendment to
wipe out centuries of upper caste dominance.
We then go back to 1916, to Columbia University
in New York City where we see Ambedkar as a
student, preparing for his exams, against the
backdrops of the First World war.
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The film
script does not follow a linear structure, from
Ambedkar's birth to death. Rather it goes back
and forth, so that we see glimpses of his childhood
and teenage years through the filter of the
present.
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Throughout
his life Ambedkar's endeavors to reform Hindu
society had been stubborn resistance and he
had been on a life long search for a religion,
amoral social order that would not sanctify
the exploitation of man by man. His search led
him Buddhism which he regarded as a rational,
egalitarian religion. In Buddhs's philosophy
of equality compassion and non-violence lay
the hope, not only for the depressed classes,
but also for the whole world.
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The formal
announcement was made about the production of
the feature film on Dr. Ambedkar
by NFDC on behalf of the Ministry
of Welfare, Government of India and Government
of Maharashtra.
The NFDC commenced work on the production of
the film in October 1991. Ms.
Sooni Taraporewala, a renowned internationally
known scriptwriter was then approached and she
indicated her interest to write the script.
The work on research and script started and
the Research Team consisting of the Scriptwriter,
Ms. Sooni Taraporewala, Shri
Arun Sadhu and Padamshri Daya
Pawar and the director, Jabbar
Patel started its work with the help
of Research Consultant, Dr. Y. D. Phadke.
They met scores of Ambedkar scholars, Ambedkarites,
visited places of historical importance, went
through all the written work on or by Dr. Ambedkar,
went through all the audio and video material
available, etc. There was also a script committee
constituted to finalize the script of the film
with the help of script writers.
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However,
to locate suitable artist who would
essay the role of Dr. Ambedkar, the
production of the film could not be
started. After a long search in both
India and abroad, Mammootty,
the popular award winning Malyalam star
was signed on for the role. The shooting
of the film finally began in August
1996.
With
the help of the various organization
and rewards of Ambedkar followers the
shooting of the film completed. For
the shooting various locations were
used in India and abroad
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