5 must-see films that show rural India differently
There is more to the rural tracts of India than meets the eye. Village Square curates some internationally acclaimed films inspired by the Indian hinterland.
The many faces of village life have long intrigued filmmakers. Among some of the well-known movies centred around rural themes are Mother India (1957) and Do Bigha Zamin (1953), based on the oppression imposed upon the common people by moneylenders and zamindars (landlords). Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali (1955) from the semi-urban hamlet of Boral is yet another classic inspired by the lives of village folks. Another film, Peepli Live (2010) documents farmer suicides and the media and political response to the situation. However, there’s also a multitude of feature and non-feature films, produced mostly on tight budgets with small crews, that offer wonderful insights into rural India. Here are five such films on rural India:
Village Rockstars (2017)
A widely acclaimed Assamese feature film, Rima Das’s Village Rockstars is the winner of several accolades. The film was awarded the Best Feature Film laurel at the National Film Awards 2018, and was screened at numerous international film festivals. It was shot in Kalardiya village of Chhaygaon in Assam. The story revolves around Dhunu, a young girl in a small village, who dreams of owning a guitar. While focusing on themes like adolescent aspirations and poverty, the film also showcases day-to-day happenings that take place in villages. This coming-of-age drama was filmed over three years with a handheld camera and nonprofessional actors. Village Rockstars is full of scenes depicting rural Assam, sprawling fields, lives affected by floods and the simplicity of their lifestyle.
Also Read: Do “reel villages” in cinema show real rural India?
Where to watch: Netflix
Ek tha Gaon (2021)
Srishti Lakhera’s Ek Tha Gaon (Once Upon a Village) was hailed the Best Non-Feature Film at the National Film Awards 2023. This hour-long documentary is set in Uttarakhand‘s Semla village which is one of several “ghost villages” of the state. This happens because of rampant migration, as people leave their ancestral villages in search of a better life. Ek Tha Gaon narrates the story of two women, 80-year-old Leela Devi and 19-year-old Golu, who are among the only residents left in the village. While Leela Devi is reluctant to leave because of her attachment to the village, Golu is unable to migrate because she lacks the means for it. Set in the backdrop of the grandiose Himalayas, the documentary showcases how haunting the tranquillity of nature can appear in abandoned villages.
Also Read: Finding a soul in Uttarakhand’s ghost village
Fireflies in the Abyss (2015)
Set in the Jaintia Hills of Northeast India, Chandrashekhar Reddy’s Fireflies in the Abyss is a documentary about rat hole mining in Meghalaya. It follows the life of 11-year-old Suraj who works in narrow coal mines to support his alcoholic father. Despite his grim life, Suraj remains a cheerful boy, determined to return to school someday. This documentary has been screened at the Mumbai International Film Festival, the Busan International Film Festival and has received the award for Best Non-Feature Film at the 64th National Film Awards in 2016.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Supermen of Malegaon (2012)
Supermen of Malegaon is a 2012 Hindi documentary by Faiza Ahmad Khan. Based in Malegaon, a small city in Maharashtra, the documentary traces the attempts of a local crew at movie-making as they attempt to escape the humdrum of daily life by creating spoofs on Bollywood films. This documentary captures behind-the-scenes grabs of Nasir Shaikh’s “Malegaon ka Superman”, a spoof on Hollywood’s Superman. It showcases the residents’ passion for filmmaking amidst poverty and communal tensions. Made on a shoestring budget, this film was shot on a handheld camera, featuring residents as actors. While Shaikh’s Malegaon ka Superman was an absolute hit in Malegaon, Faiza Khan’s documentary, Supermen of Malegaon received widespread international acclaim.
Where to watch: YouTube
Writing With Fire (2021)
Sushmit Ghosh and Rintu Thomas’s Writing With Fire narrates the story of fearless women journalists at Kharab Lahariya, India’s only newspaper run by Dalit women. This 2021 documentary film on rural India showcases the courage, wit and intelligence with which these women shift from print to video journalism. Chief reporter Meera Devi and her team of journalists, primarily women from rural backgrounds, take on the daunting task of reporting the country’s political, social and local news from a female perspective.
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