Documentary Screening – Sangharsh – Times of Strife

Abstract

‘Sangharsh’ is a documentary made by Nicolas Jaoul, a French anthropologist, who provides a grassroots glimpse into Dalit politics in Uttar Pradesh.

Shot in the late 1990s just after the BSP lost political power and the BJP took over, Sangharsh takes us deep into the lifeworld of Dalit Panther activists in Uttar Pradesh. By following three Dalit Panthers activists, the documentary shows Dalit assertion at the ground level. The documentary takes viewers on a rough trip in the slums and villages of the Kanpur region, where these characters are determined to continue spreading the revolutionary messages of Ambedkar, comes what may and in a creative way. It is an emotional journey into the urge to struggle in order to assert one’s humanity when humiliation, exploitation and violence remain always around the corner.