Koshish thi ki log samjhein unki ladai: Writer Muazzam Beg on the film Phule and the legacy of Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule
A still from Phule
Writer Muazzam Beg
Phule, a biographical drama about social reformers Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule, is more than a period film - it's a story of two towering figures in India's reformist history.
Writer Muazzam Beg says the journey of making the film began with a moment of personal reckoning. 'It was an important film to make,' he says, adding that he, too, was surprised by how little he knew about the couple's early activism. 'Jyotirao and Savitribai worked towards social reforms at a very young age,' he explains. 'Agar jan manas ki baat karen toh utna nahi jaante log. Jinko pan-India audience bolte hain, un sab tak Jyotiba Phule pahunchne chahiye.'
Writer Muazzam Beg on the set of Phule
Film ka core wohi tha - education aur untouchability ki jo ladai ladi thi unhone
The film stars Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa in the lead roles and explores the Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule's pioneering work in education, caste reform, and gender equality. 'Ambedkar ke liye zameen toh phir Jyotiba Phule ne hi taiyyar ki thi,' Muazzam points out, referencing how Phule's efforts laid the groundwork for B.R. Ambedkar's later activism.
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In fact, Ambedkar himself has written extensively about Jyotirao and Savitribai, acknowledging their role in shaping India's modern reformist consciousness.
Condensing such expansive lives into a feature-length film was, Muazzam admits, one of the greatest challenges. 'When an entire life has to be crunched into a couple of hours, you have to make decisions about what to show and what to leave out,' he says. 'But as a writer, and with Ananth Mahadevan as director and co-writer, we didn't take any cinematic or creative liberties.
Everything that you see in the film is based on extensive research and facts.
We referred to several books.'
He adds, 'A biography is vast, and their lives were immensely vast. To make a movie, you have to hold on to the core, and for us, that was their fight against untouchability. Core wohi tha - education aur untouchability ki jo ladai ladi thi unhone. We wanted that message to reach the audience.'
Writer Muazzam Beg on the set of Phule
We were focused on two things: first, that the words should feel authentic to the people of that time, and second, that today's audience could understand them
Writing dialogue for a period film came with its own set of challenges.
'Uss waqt ki bhasha bhi alag thi. Har tarah ke log thay,' he explains. 'We were focused on two things: first, that the words should feel authentic to the people of that time, and second, that today's audience could understand them. Those words that were too difficult to understand, we preferred to avoid. Koshish yehi thi ki logon tak baat pahunche.'
The film pays close attention to detail - not just in language, but in costumes, settings, and overall tone.
Shot at real locations, the film strives for authenticity. 'Aaj jab hum Jyotiba ki kahani bol rahe hain, toh uske peechhe ek maqsad hai - ki log ye samjhein ki kya ladai ladi unhone, aur kya change laa sakte hain hum apne society mein,' Muazzam says.
He talks about the enduring relevance of Phule's ideals. 'There's no doubt that in the last 175 years, the time has changed a little when it comes to the caste system,' he says. 'I have been so inspired by Jyotiba Phule. He never discriminated against anyone on the basis of caste, gender, or any grounds. Once you decide what to do in life, how you go about it - that journey is very inspiring for me.'
He adds, the goal was to ensure that the film remained respectful. 'It was very important for us to balance that nobody gets hurt by the film.'
Writer Muazzam Beg on the set of Phule
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