Phule

wogma rating: Watch but no rush (?)

quick review:

What an inspiring story. What an uninspiring, episodic, loud, and dramatic treatment. And yet, better watch this one because it's unlikely to be made again. And there's never harm in knowing the oppression we are capable of as humans and the fight we can give if we set our minds to it.

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Running time: 130 minutes
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It's a shame that, well over a century later, even making a film on the fight against caste oppression has to be considered 'brave.' And a bigger shame that despite being a mediocre film at best, this is likely the only one we'll get on such an important part of our history.

Hopefully, the protests against the film have already made some of us read up on Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule.

The movie feels like a chapter in a school history textbook that touches upon different parts of the historical personalities' lives in disconnected paragraphs. It's not like you don't see the logic. But you jump from one instance in Jyotiba and Savitribai's lives to the next without any attempt at a connecting line.

It's not that I didn't learn anything new from the film about their lives. I got a brief backstory about the lack of support at home. I understood how they managed the finances. But, this still gave a feel of scratching the surface. Anyone who knows even a little more, about the history of the time, than I do is likely to know at least this much.

And, of course, the film had a huge gap. You just don't get the extent of the atrocities committed by Brahmins under the garb of Hinduism. This could be owing to the censor board cuts. Or it was a call at the writing stage. For what has reached the screen, though, it assumes the viewer already knows the degree of injustice.

It doesn't help that the performances are just about par. While Pratik Gandhi pulls it off as a social reformer, Patralekha is more distracting than anything else. From a weird accent to the botoxed lips to a new sari in every scene, it just doesn't feel like she belongs in the milieu. None of the other cast members have a big enough role to be memorable, other than Jyotiba repeatedly thanking them for their involvement and support. We hear, we don't get to see.

And Phule, the film, probably had one of the worst endings, for an otherwise decent film, I've seen lately. I wonder what Phule, the man, would have to say about it. Anyway, it's not like we should watch films like these to learn about history. But, as the film repeats a few times—we ought to learn from history and not repeat it. So, even if the film prompts some of us to read up on Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule, their supporters, and their work, the film has succeeded. Hopefully, the protests against the film have already made that happen.

- meeta, a part of the audience

25 reviewers(?) - 13 yays 9 so-so 3 nays

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

Thumbs up, by Amit Bhatia, abplive : ...The music by Rohan-Rohan (Rohan Pradhan and Rohan Gokhale) is subtle yet stirring. The songs are woven into the narrative, enhancing the mood rather than disrupting it. They stay with you, soft echoes of a story that doesn’t leave your heart even after the credits roll.... full review

Thumbs up, by Subhash K Jha, Bolly Spice : ...Phule is a film with a big heart and big dreams of a social order based on equality. Just one shot of a gaggle of young girls emerging from a dark building with their school bags filled me with so much hope; it was as though that morning dawn, which Sahir Ludhianvi had dreamt of in the song ‘Woh subah kabhi toh aayegi’, had finally arrived.... full review

Thumbs up, by Guruprasad D N, Deccan Herald : ...Although the director has tried to bring one of the most important pieces of Indian history on the big screen, the narrative’s impact is not as strong as the Phule couple’s radical vision.... full review

Thumbs up, by Devesh Sharma, Filmfare : ...Phule may not captivate in the traditional sense of a biopic, but it succeeds in educating and honoring two of India’s most important yet often overlooked reformers. It’s a film that opens your eyes, even if it doesn’t always grip your heart.... full review

Thumbs up, by Ganesh Aaglave, FirstPost : ...On the whole, Phule is a must-watch for all the Indians as it is a beautiful tribute to Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule.... full review

Thumbs up, by Murtuza Iqbal, Free Press Journal : ...Overall, Phule is a good film, and Pratik and Patralekhaa's performance is the highlight of the movie. It showcases the journey of Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule wonderfully, but remember the pace is quite slow, and this is not a glossy period drama.... full review

Thumbs up, by Sakshi Verma, India TV : ...Phule is a film that definitely talks about the 19th century but also shows a mirror to the current times. The film is thought-provoking, but at the same time it makes you feel grateful towards the ancestors who had to bear a lot for the freedom of all kinds. Packed with emotions, logic and strong performances, the film has everything to offer to those who dare to listen. Having its heart in the right place, Phule deserves 3.5 stars out of 5.... full review

Thumbs up, by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV : ...Watch Phule not only because it has something to say but also because of the way it says it—with restraint and integrity.... full review

Thumbs up, by YATAMANYU NARAIN, News18.com : ...The background score and music by Rohan-Rohan are equally searing, beautiful, and haunting. Songs like ‘Saathi’ musically immortalize the love between Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule and their resolve to bring about change. Similarly, a charged anthem like ‘Dhun Lagi’ accompanies scenes highlighting their hard work and resistance.... full review

Thumbs up, by Hemant Waje, Rediff : ...In this era of sensationalism, we should appreciate director Anant Mahadevan for treating this biopic with composure and not going overboard.... full review

Thumbs up, by Shraddha Kumbhojkar, The Quint : ...The Phules' love and companionship on one hand and the stern opposition to all kinds of injustice on the other, remain at the heart of the film, humanising the characters while also eulogising their work.... full review

Thumbs up, by Nirali kanabar, Times Now : ...Phule, starring Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa, is poignant tribute to the 19th century social reformers. A historically grounded social drama, the Ananth Mahadevan directorial serves as thoughtful portrayal of Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and his wife Savitribai Phule's legacy. It stands out a strong message of how the revolutionaries fostered a significant change, by fighting against caste discrimination and empowering women, on basis of their educational and intellectual skills.... full review

Thumbs up, by Abhishek Srivastava, Times of India : ...One could argue that the film might have been more aptly titled ‘Phules,’ as Savitribai’s role, if not greater, is certainly at par with that of her husband.... full review

So-So, by Rishabh Suri, Hindustan Times : ...Overall, Phule is a sincere, important film, dulled by an oversimplistic screenplay and treatment.... full review

So-So, by Sana Farzeen, india today : ...Given how little we know of Jyotirao Phule, the first Mahatma of this country, 'Phule' definitely deserves a watch. And if you are not up for it, at least read up on him and Savitribai's radical journey. They deserve a lot more recognition, respect, and glory. And just like Phule looking to the heavens for answers, perhaps it’s time we look into our own history with the same hope - that someday, stories like theirs are told with the fire they lit.... full review

So-So, by Shubhra Gupta, indian express : ...The Phules, who belonged to the ‘dabey kuchley varg’ themselves, fought for the right to be called ‘Dalit’, not ‘achoot’ (specific names of the ‘varna’ and ‘jaati’ appear to have been dropped in the film), and many changes have happened since. But casteism and discrimination are alive and well even today: perhaps ‘Phule’ can add to the growing discussion around these evils.... full review

So-So, by UDITA JHUNJHUNWALA, Live Mint : ...Mahadevan respectfully enforces Savitri and Jyotirao’s rock-solid partnership, their mutual respect, and unfaltering commitment to a greater cause—one that still feels pertinent.... full review

So-So, by Sameer Ahire, Movie Talkies : ...Still, I recommend Phule because the story deserves to be told, even if the film doesn’t do it full justice. Mahatma Phule’s vision was too vast to be captured in such a modest attempt. Well, at least they tried.... full review

So-So, by Srishti Walia, Outlook India : ...in the climax, “I hope your story is better than ours,” one is overcome with sadness because Jyotiba and Savitribai’s sacrifice, exhaustion, grief, and tragedy in tandem with the beauty of their revolution and love for each other is wasted in Anant Mahadevan’s Phule.... full review

So-So, by Nandini Ramnath, Scroll.in : ...The film itself douses the more radical aspects of Phule’s singular achievements. Pratik Gandhi is barely present, Patralekhaa marks her attendance more strongly. And so the film trundles on, from one familiar history lesson to the next.... full review

So-So, by Anuj Kumar, The Hindu : ...However, Pratik finds depth even in this creative flatness to portray the gravity of the struggle. The confident gait, the furrow on the forehead, and the transition to a man who realises that his mission will not be complete in his lifetime, Pratik coalesces different timelines and situations in his malleable frame... full review

So-So, by Shubhangi Shah, The Week : ...In one of the most poignant scenes, a much older Jyotiba, a few days before his death, stares at the sky and asks if God would open his door for the lower caste people, as temples had remained out of their bounds. It's a strong statement, only if the overall uninspiring film had done justice to this strong premise.... full review

Thumbs down, Bollywood Hungama : ...On the whole, PHULE tells the story of a legendary social revolutionary and rests on the towering performance of Pratik Gandhi. But the film greatly suffers on account of a weak script and lacklustre direction. At the box office, it’ll largely go unnoticed.... full review

Thumbs down, by Divya Shah, India-Forums : ...Phule had everything going for it, a legendary figure, a talented actor in the lead, and a story that could’ve sparked deep thought and conversation. But what we get is a half-hearted, slow, uninspired attempt that feels more like a history lesson than a cinematic experience.... full review

Thumbs down, by Mayank Shekhar, MiD DAY : ...know it doesn’t sound encouraging for a film audience, but treat this as entry-level education on Phule, rather than entertainment or deep engagement, if you like. You’ll be much better off, that way.... full review

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Plot Summary

Unless I understood it grossly wrong, Jyotiba Phule's work is compared to that of Martin Luther King while Phule is alive. Ummm…King was born a good four decades after Phule passed away. I would like to believe they weren't talking about Martin Luther King Jr, and some other Martin Luther King that I don't know about. Or I completely misheard. Seriously, I prefer being wrong if the other option is to believe that the makers hadn't done basic research.

Parental Guidance:

  • Violence: People being beaten up. But nothing compared to the atrocities Dalits went through at the time.
  • Language: Clean
  • Nudity & Sexual content: None on screen. Rape implied in words and situations.
  • Concept: The life story of social reformers Jyotiba and Savitri Phule
  • General Look and Feel: Sanitised view of a dark history

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

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