Film Review: Phule

Zee Studios, Dancing Shiva Films and Kingsmen Productions’ Phule is the story of Mahatma Jyotirao Phule (also known as Jyotiba Phule) and his wife, Savitri Phule. As social reformers in 19th-century India under British rule, their pioneering work extended to eradicating caste-based oppression, fighting untouchability, and promoting women’s education.

Story & Screenplay

Ananth Narayan Mahadevan and Muazzam Beg’s screenplay, drawn from Phule’s life and times, unfortunately comes across less as a cinematic narrative and more as a documentary-style chronology of events. The writing feels like a patchwork of milestones, lacking the dramatic highs and lows that Indian audiences expect, especially in a story about a revolutionary figure who battled entrenched oppression.

Another limitation is the unidimensional approach the screenplay is entirely told from Phule’s perspective, with little exploration of other characters’ psyches or conflicts. This reduces the emotional depth, making the drama feel flat and clinical. Instead of evoking empathy and stirring the viewers, the proceedings give the impression of leafing through a history textbook.

Muazzam Beg’s dialogues are functional but unremarkable. The heavy usage of Marathi and English adds authenticity, but it risks alienating sections of the audience who may find it distancing.

Performances

• Pratik Gandhi is sincere as Jyotiba Phule, but his performance suffers from monotony, lacking variation across different emotional beats.

• Patralekha is strictly average as Savitri Phule; her characterisation itself is underwritten.

• Vinay Pathak as Govindrao Phule hardly gets scope.

• Sushil Pandey (Raja Ram Phule) and Joy Sengupta (Vinayak Deshpande) lend adequate support.

• Darsheel Safary as Yashwant is ordinary.

• Amit Behl impresses in moments as the Brahmin panchayat head.

• Akshaya Gurav stands out as Fatima Sheikh.

• Asit Redij leaves a mark as Vishnupant Thatte.

• Child actors Vishal Avhad (young Jyotiba) and Gauri Dharane (young Savitri) are impressive.

• The rest including Suresh Vishwakarma, Dhananjay Mandrekar, Abhinay Patekar, Alexx O’Nell, and others pass muster.

Direction & Technical Aspects

Ananth Narayan Mahadevan’s direction is ordinary. He opts for a docu-drama style, which might work for niche festival audiences but is unlikely to connect with the broader viewer base. The narrative lacks cinematic drama, emotional tension, or moments of stirring inspiration that such a biographical subject demands.

Rohan-Rohan’s music is melodious, with lyrics by Kausar Munir (“Saathi”) and Sarosh Asif (“Dhun Lagi”) carrying weight, but the songs aren’t popular or catchy. Background score is average. Sunita Radia’s cinematography is neat and effective. Santosh Phutane’s production design is adequate, capturing the period setting decently. Rounak Phadnis’ editing is fairly sharp, though the flat writing limits its impact.

Final Verdict

On the whole, Phule is a docu-style retelling that feels more like a history lesson than a cinematic experience. While the subject is undeniably important, the execution is too dry and monotonous to move or entertain.

Box-office prognosis: 

With poor publicity, weak opening, and limited appeal even among classes, the film has bleak commercial prospects.