Nagraj Manjule

Nagraj Manjule was born in 1977 in a small village in Maharashtra's Solapur district, into a family that faced caste-based discrimination. He pursued higher education despite financial hardships, earning a master's degree in Marathi literature. Before filmmaking, he worked as a teacher and wrote short stories and poetry. His first short film, Pistulya (2009), won the National Film Award for Best Short Fiction Film, bringing him recognition. He then directed Fandry (2013), a semi-autobiographical tale of a Dalit boy's struggle with caste prejudice, which won the National Film Award for Best Marathi Film and the FIPRESCI Prize at the 2014 International Film Festival of India.¹

Manjule's second feature, Sairat (2016), became the highest-grossing Marathi film of all time, earning over ₹110 crore worldwide. The film, a love story between a Dalit boy and an upper-caste girl, resonated across India and was remade in several languages, including Hindi as Dhadak (2018). Its song "Zingaat" became a viral sensation. Manjule's work has been praised for its raw realism and powerful social commentary. He also directed the Hindi film Jhund (2022), starring Amitabh Bachchan, based on the life of a football coach who mentored slum children.²

Beyond directing, Manjule has acted in films such as Killa (2014) and Pavsacha Nibandh (2016). He has also produced films under his banner, including Pavsacha Nibandh and Naal (2018). He has been a vocal advocate for Dalit rights and has used his platform to highlight caste issues in Indian cinema. His work has been screened at international festivals, including the Berlin International Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival.³

Manjule's short film Pistulya was based on his own childhood experiences of being forced to catch a rat as a punishment. He has also written poetry and short stories in Marathi, some of which have been published in literary magazines. In 2019, he was appointed as the chairperson of the Indian Panorama selection committee for the International Film Festival of India. He has expressed interest in making a film on the life of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Despite his success, he continues to live in Pune and often returns to his village to stay connected with his roots.⁴

Dalit

A member of the lowest caste in the traditional Indian social hierarchy, formerly called 'untouchables'.

Marathi

An Indo-Aryan language spoken predominantly in the Indian state of Maharashtra.