Locating the Representation of Anti-Caste Sentiments in Marathi Cinema

Abstract

With the release of Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry (Pig), 2014, and Sairat (Wild), 2016, the anti-caste sentiments in Marathi cinema set up the new course and trend for the upcoming cinema content critical of the discriminatory caste practices. It is believed to be the milestone in Marathi cinema with a thematic departure from the mundane melodramatic cinema content in Marathi. The Marathi films with the representation of the anti-caste thematic content released prior to Fandry are scarcely acknowledged. The objective of the article is to study and analyse the representation of the anti-caste sentiments in Marathi cinema before the release of Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry. Before analysing some of the Marathi movies, the precursors to the ‘social’ outlook of Marathi cinema that bring to screen the anti-caste sentiments are explored and discussed in the article.