Documentary Films - Somnath Waghmare

Chaityabhumi (UPCOMING - In post-production)

For the Dalit movement in India, one of the significant and important places is Chaityabhumi in Mumbai. The Dalit movement in Maharashtra has had a continuous and unbroken presence for 100 years now. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s anti-caste and Dalit human rights movement began in this land. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar himself stayed in Mumbai for most of his life, and when he died on December 6, 1956, his last rites were done near the sea at Dadar. His followers later built Chaityabhumi at that spot.

Every year 1 to 6 December, millions of Dalit-Bahujan across the nation visit this place and pay tribute to their revolutionary leader. But the city’s media and elite Mumbaikars only show disdain for this peaceful event. This documentary film will bring to light the history and cultural politics of how people commemorate December 6 at Chaityabhumi and its relevance in contemporary India. The film also explores the tensions of caste and public space in Mumbai, India. Filmmekar Pa.Ranjith’s Neelam Prodecation is the presenter of the film.

Trailer: https://youtu.be/v6EbCFsmGTg

There is no caste discrimination in IITs ?

The documentary captures the gathering at Azad Maidan, Mumbai, on 5th February 2023 for the 18-year-old Dalit student Darshan Solanki, a victim of institutional murder at IIT Bombay. IIT Bombay released a report after a few days of this gathering and rejecting all accusations of caste discrimination on the campus. This documentary captures narratives of the parents’ side of the Dalit students who are victims of institutional murders.

Watch full film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDPTRnb6nPg

Memories of Mangaon

The Film explores the memories of people from Mangoan. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, then 29 years old, had just returned to India from Columbia University in the United States, where he had earned his M.A. and PhD. He started discussions and gatherings with the Dalit community in support of social rights. The first public gathering presided by Babasaheb took place at the Mangaon Conference on March 21, 1920 along with Chatrapati Shahu Maharaj.

Babasaheb spent two days in Mangaon Village and spoke at the conference, encouraging Dalits to start the fight against the unjust social structure. The town of Mangaon is located 20 kilometers from Kolhapur, the former capital of Shahu Maharaj’s state in Maharashtra.

Appasaheb Patil, who belonged to the Jain community and was active in the Satyashodhak movement, helped Dalits to organise the conference. He was the Patil of the village.

At the conference, Shahu Maharaj announced that ‘Dr. Ambedkar is the true leader of the oppressed classes in India’. The Conference passed a fifteen-point agenda for Dalit rights. The most important ones were the right to free education and the abolishment of untouchability.

Watch full film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOgIxXXzE60

Gail and Bharat (In post-production)

For these films I follow them almost 4 years. This film the biographical documentary tracks Dr. Gail Omvedt’s extraordinary journey to India and captures the extraordinary lives of these “organic intellectuals” as they live them out of their small-town home in Maharashtra. Anfochunetry sad part of this films is Dr.Gail Omvedt is not alive to watch this interesting documentation on her life.

Trailer: https://youtu.be/t1CPxb8J8qk

Long LIVE Oppressed Unity ( 2022)

In recent student elections held on the TISS Mumbai campus, the Oppressed unity led by Ambedkarite students won with a stunning victory. Together with the Ambedkarite Students’ victories in Tuljapur and Hyderabad campuses, this has paved the way for a new alternative politics on all TISS campuses.
Though Ambedkarite politics has faced setbacks on the larger electoral front, this blue wave is something to ponder at. Our first video documents and celebrates this new wave in TISS Mumbai campus.
Jai Bhim!

Rajgruha Stands tall (2020)

Many of Babasaheb’s followers today see Rajgruha as a holy place. The location has an unmatched cult following. On July 7, 2020, an unidentified individual broke into Rajgruha and damaged the building. We all found this to be a significant incident, and social media was flooded with responses. Adv. Prakash Ambedkar stood up and advised everyone to maintain their composure.

The Battle of Bhima Koregaon, An Unending Journey ( 2017)

History is riddled with tales of titanic battles, valiant soldiers, and astute emperors and kings, but the history of the oppressed has never been given a voice or a screen. The documentary captures the history of Bhima Koregaon and its relevance to contemporary Dalit cultural politics in the country. It tells the history of the Bahujans through the coverage of the events of this gathering.

This film has been screened at more than 80 locations in India including FTII, Delhi University, Ashoka University, Jindal University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and multiple film festivals. The film was also screened at Columbia University, New York.

Watch full film here https://youtu.be/PDw43hJf_IY

I am not a Witch ( 2016)

‘I am not a Witch‘ is the story of a landless-homeless elderly Tribal woman from Nandurbar District Maharashtra, India. The film examines the cruel practice in Nandurbar whereby women are expelled from their homes and villages after being accused of witchcraft. We get actual facts from the account of the real-life victim Kamalabai Pavara and through the interviews with district journalists, students, social activists in the region. The film has been screened at FTII, Pune University, and Amnesty International India.

Watch full film here https://youtu.be/QG4g9pXwHSQ