Apr 25, 2025 06:28 PM IST
Phule the film may have had to contend with the censorship axe prior to its release — the Pratik Gandhi film however, appears to have won over X
The early X reviews for the Pratik Gandhi and Patralekha-led Phule are trickling in and it appears so, that even some pressing censorship woes couldn’t stop the film from making the impact it set out to make. Based on the lives of 19th century anti-caste activist Jyotirao Phule and his women’s education activist wife, Savitribai Phule, the film traverses the innumerable battles they fought to have their vision see some light of day.
Earlier this week, director Anant Mahadevan was asked to do away with mentions of the Mang and Mahar groups with the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry body also asking for a removal of any reference to Manu, who pioneered the Manusmriti, in addition to mentions of the Peshwa rule in Maharashtra. Another bone of contention was the line “3,000 saal puraani gulaami” which was eventually changed to “kai saal puraani ghulaami”. Incidentally, ‘Ghulami‘ happens to be the title of Phule’s 1973 book.
With the mentioned cuts, Phule released in theatres today and has been garnering rave early reviews on X. The general audience reception as of now, stands captured by these impassioned takes on the film: “Some heroes fight with swords, others with schools. Phule’s weapon was education. Every Indian must watch this story”, “The more you learn about Jyotiba and Savitribai, the more you’ll understand how revolutionary they truly were. #SupportPhuleTheFilm”, “Everyone should come together and SUPPORT PHULE FILM it’s a must watch for everyone”, “Art has the power to heal, educate, and awaken. That’s why films like this matter. That’s why we must support it”, “Jyotiba & Savitribai Phule’s legacy deserves to shine on the big screen! A film on their life isn’t just cinema—it’s a revolution retold” and “Heroes like Phule don’t just need statues – they need screen time” to quote a few.
Phule, starring Scam 1992 fame Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa as Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule respectively, is currently running in theatres.
