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Society & Culture

‘Vaazhai’: Love, compassion and resilience amid the harshness of Dalit life
Vaazhai is a testament to how personal experience can shape a filmmaker’s narrative arc, with Mari Selvaraj’s socially charged storytelling elevating the film’s themes. Through his lens, the film immerses viewers in the layered reality...
RSS and the question of caste
On the one hand, they celebrate the Constitution Day and pay obeisance to the Constitution of India. On the other hand, they consistently talk about changing it. This strategy of the RSS has always been...
When a film has a Dalit protagonist named Vedaa and defends the Vedas
This film exemplifies the Gandhian ‘upper caste’ saviour gaze, in which the Dalit characters, particularly women like Vedaa, remain marginalized within their own narrative. ‘Vedaa’ reflects the persistence of caste hierarchies even in the telling...
Decoding ‘Thangalaan’: A cinematic exploration of caste and colonialism
By centring the experiences of those traditionally marginalized in historical narratives, Pa. Ranjith’s latest film opens up new avenues for understanding India’s past and, by extension, its present. The impact of ‘Thangalaan’ is poised to...
Pa. Ranjith’s ‘Thangalaan’ is another compelling portrayal of the struggles of the Bahujan
The film’s masterful use of close-up shots allows a profound and intimate exploration of the characters, drawing the...
Does today’s Indian democracy pass the Ambedkar test?
Ambedkar defined democracy as ‘a form and a method of government whereby revolutionary changes in the economic and...
Gramsci and Ambedkar’s insights into resisting fascism in the long term
Dr B.R. Ambedkar fits Gramsci’s definition of an organic intellectual. He challenged brahmanical hegemony systematically and structurally and...
Battle for ‘masawat’ in the age of majoritarianism
Considering the plight of Muslims in India in his new book, Mujibur Rehman identifies with Ambedkar’s pain when...
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