The Ambedkar memorial Chaityabhumi in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park that transforms into a weeklong carnival-like celebration of books, music and performances, is now the subject of a new documentary film produced by Pa. Ranjith. The 1:37 minute-long trailer of the film directed by Mumbai-based filmmaker Somnath Waghmare is now out.
“Oh Bhima, take birth again for the oppressed, troubled, and tired… they are longing to meet you today…,” a visually impaired Rahul Telgote with a tabla sings on the Chaityabhumi grounds in the opening shot of the trailer. Hundreds of Dalits, who have travelled from across India, crowd the park to celebrate Ambedkar in the next shot.
“Today, the noted African American director Ava DuVernay is making a film on Ambedkar. Earlier, many Kannada and Telugu filmmakers have also made films on him. Malayalam superstar Mammootty portrayed Babasaheb in a film. But the so-called progressive Bollywood industry continues to ignore him. They refer to Gandhi, but not Babasaheb,” Waghmare told ThePrint, underlining the relevance of documenting the significance of Chaityabhumi and the cultural politics around it.
Each year on 6 December, Shivaji Park — the most significant public park located in Mumbai’s Dadar area of 28 acres — plays host to people in huge numbers, who sell, purchase books, play music, and celebrate one of the foremost founders of India — Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. About 750 meters away from the park is Chaityabhumi, the memorial site of Babasaheb, which is the focal point of filmmaker Somnath Waghmare’s upcoming documentary of the same name.
The documentary is being presented by Tamil actor-director Pa Ranjith under his production house, Neelam Productions.
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About the trailer
In the wake of Ambedkar’s death anniversary on 6 December, people in Maharashtra and across India begin to congregate in and around Shivaji Park from 1 December.
As the music flows, hundreds of book stalls pop up with hordes of books and miniature statues of Ambedkar. “Around Rs 3 crore worth of books were sold last year during the week-long congregation here,” says Waghmare.
In another shot of the trailer, the mother organisation Bharatiya Bodh Mahasabha — founded by Ambedkar when he converted to Buddhism — organises a gathering of people assembled near Chaityabhumi. Addressing the assembly is Advocate Prakash Ambedkar who raises questions for those who choose to remain silent over caste issues in the country.
Politics of public spaces
For decades, Shivaji Park has been a focal point of Maharashtra politics. But each year, the huge congregation in the area in the first week of December only makes up for the consequent traffic updates in headlines, says Waghmare, speaking about the past media coverage. However, he acknowledges the “improved” media coverage in recent times.
“There are many places of relevance, with respect to Ambedkar, in and around Mumbai but there is nothing like Chaityabhumi. I want to make people aware of it,” says Waghmare.
Waghmare, born in a rural Dalit-Buddhist family in Malewadi of western Maharashtra, is currently pursuing his PhD from Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
He has previously made two documentary films I Am Not a Witch (2015) and The Battle of Bhima Koregaon: An Unending Journey (2017).
Chaityabhumi, which germinated from a video documentation to a full-fledged documentary, should be released in April next year, most probably before Ambedkar Jayanti, says Waghmare.
(Edited by Ratan Priya)