Background:

The theme of the movie is ‘Self-dependence’ of marginalized villagers. The story highlights the need to work with villagers in order to fighting corruption and establish a distribution system for supplying essential goods. The film took into consideration the ground realities where ignorance of villagers are not benefitted by government programs due to official negligence and corruption. The story brings into focus the role of senior officials, who are in direct contact with villagers and the local players in the village economy, eradicate corruption.

The movie was shot in 16 mm, Eastman color, on an actual location in and around a tribal village called, Shidpada, in Thane district of Maharashtra state, India. When I visited the village in the Summer of 1991, it was dusty and dry and worst affected by drought. There were no trees in the vicinity and the farm land was barren. Villagers lived in huts they had built themselves. They kept their cattle in the same hut where they lived. There was a primary school and a hospital, built by the government. Both facilities lacked personnel. The villagers allowed their huts, streets, and open air meeting spaces for filming. We hired professional actors from Mumbai. The villagers spoke little. The tribal people don’t use the same language we hear in the movie. The dialogues used by characters in the movie are meant for the general audience. We shot for about 15 days before the onset of monsoon. The songs were filmed during our second trip to village when the landscape had turned lush green.

Watch it here

 Note: The video is meant for educational purposes only. For any reproduction please contact Films Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, Pedder Road, Mumbai, India.—Ashok Ojha