The release of a Bollywood film chronicling the lives of two 19th-century anti-caste reformers in India has been delayed following protests from upper caste groups who have accused it of defaming their community.
India’s film certifying body, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), demanded multiple edits to caste references and imagery in Ananth Mahadevan’s film Phule, portraying the journey of couple Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule, after several organisations in the western state of Maharashtra claimed the film defamed Brahmins.
Savitribai Phule was also a pioneering figure in India's women's rights movement and opened the first girls' school in India in 1848 along with her husband Jyotirao Phule.
Brahmins are considered to be seated at the top of Hinduism’s rigid caste hierarchy, historically referred to as the custodians of religious knowledge. According to the last available census, nearly 80 per cent of Indians are Hindus, practice Hinduism and follow the caste system. The Phules fought for the right to education and equality for Dalits – those who were treated as “untouchables” under the Hindu caste system.
The film, starring Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa, was originally cleared by the CBFC with a U-certificate, which means that it was suitable for all age groups. But following pressure from Brahmin groups such as the Akhil Bhartiya Brahmin Samaj and the Parshuram Aarthik Vikas Mahamandal, the board has now asked for significant alterations, including the removal of caste-specific terms referring to Dalit communities who have historically been marginalised under India’s caste system and given the most menial and stigmatised jobs to perform in society.
The CBFC has also demanded the toning down of certain dialogues and visuals in the film.
Phule was earlier set to be released on 11 April. Its new release date is now 25 April. However, it remains unclear if the filmmaker will make the changes asked by the CBFC and whether those changes will compromise the historical accuracy or dilute the film’s message.
The Independent has reached out to Mahadevan for comment.
The decision to remove caste-specific references from Phule has drawn criticism from some historians and activists, who say it risks whitewashing history and downplaying the lived experiences of marginalised communities.
Mr Mahadevan also insists the film is historically grounded and not agenda-driven. “Many letters and notices have come from different Brahmin organisations. There is some misunderstanding after the trailer was launched. We want to clear those doubts so that there is no hassle in viewership,” he said in an interview with Midday.
For anyone who wonders why it is almost impossible to make a good and truthful Hindi film, what is happening with the Phule film is an excellent example.
— Darab Farooqui (@darab_farooqui) April 9, 2025
Ananth Mahadevan directed the Hindi biographical film Phule, which focuses on the lives of social reformers Jyotirao Phule… pic.twitter.com/IkzWTWw8zK
“When I met the representatives [of the Akhil Bhartiya Brahmin Samaj] and told them about how we’ve shown that [certain] Brahmins helped Jyotiba Phule set up 20 schools, they were happy. When Phule opened the Satyashodhak Samaj, these Brahmins were the pillars. I’m a staunch Brahmin. Why will I [malign] my community? We have only shown the facts. It’s not an agenda film,” he added.
The Satyashodhak Samaj, founded by Jyotirao Phule in 1873, was a reformist movement that challenged caste discrimination and advocated for equality, education, and social justice for marginalised communities.
The Independent has reached out to the CBFC to explain the rationale behind its decision to demand changes to caste references and depictions in the film, and whether these revisions were influenced by external objections from community groups.
Mahatma Phule liberated crores of people in this country. He was India’s first revolutionary who faught against the caste system. If Chhava Movie can be released, even promoted by the BJP government, then what is the problem with Phule’s film? who hails from the same region? pic.twitter.com/uH346v8ddX
— Shyam Meera Singh (@ShyamMeeraSingh) April 10, 2025
In 2017, the release of the National Award-winning Marathi film Dashkriya also faced disruption after a Brahmin group, the Akhil Bharatiya Brahmin Mahasabha, objected to its portrayal of the Brahmin community, claiming it showed them in a “bad light”. Some theatre owners in Maharashtra temporarily halted advance bookings amid fears of unrest, despite the film already being cleared by the censor board and having screened at multiple festivals.
The postponement and censorship of the Phule have sparked concern among historians and activists about the historical erasure of Dalits. Critics argue that removing caste-specific references dilutes the historical reality and undermines the film’s core message – to confront caste injustice and honour the Phules’ legacy of challenging oppression and demanding social reform.
“The irony is palpable: A film about a couple who battled caste supremacy is being censored to satisfy the very social order they opposed,” wrote Neeraj Bunkar, a PhD research scholar at Nottingham Trent University, in The Indian Express.
“The CBFC, meant to be a neutral arbiter, is often dominated by Brahmin or Savarna voices. In a nation where over 80 per cent of the population are Dalit or OBC (Other Backward Classes), why is portraying their oppression – and the Phules’ resistance – so contentious?”
Mahatma Jyotirao Phule didn’t stand behind his wife, he stood beside her, empowering Savitribai to become a force for change. Empowering her to become one of the greatest social reformers the world has known…
— Archana Pawar 🇮🇳 (@SilentEyes0106) April 11, 2025
If every man supported women like he did, the world would be more… pic.twitter.com/cIiHfI2Hqo
Dalit-themed films in India have frequently faced pushback from both the CBFC and certain social groups. More recently, Santosh, a critically acclaimed Hindi-language film by British-Indian filmmaker Sandhya Suri, was blocked by India’s film censorship board over its portrayal of police misogyny, caste discrimination, and Islamophobia.
Despite winning international awards and praise, including a Cannes debut and a BAFTA nomination, the film faces a ban in Indian cinemas due to the CBFC’s demand for sweeping cuts deemed “impossible” by the director.
Shudra: The Rising (2012), directed by Sanjiv Jaiswal, which explored the brutal oppression of Dalits under the Hindu caste system, also encountered massive resistance at the time.
This is the reason why Brahmin people do not want this film #Phule to be released...
— The Dalit Voice (@ambedkariteIND) April 10, 2025
Mata Savitribai Phule 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/Xp0od392CO
Hyderabad-based professor Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd, a social activist and author told The Federal: “How can the CBFC ask to remove caste-related references in the film when Phules’ struggle was against caste and Brahmin communities’ inhuman practices of his time?”
Maharashtra’s opposition also criticised the CBFC for recommending cuts to the film and accusing the board of applying double standards and attempting to sanitise history.
“India’s censor board did not object to a single scene from propaganda movies like The Kashmir Files or The Kerala Story. But it was quick to make objections to films like the Phule biopic. It shows the mentality of the board,” said Jayant Patil, a local politician.
“History cannot be erased, it can only be learned from. Whatever is shown in the movie Mahatma Jyotirao Phule is a historical truth – truth cannot be denied or altered. Among the social reformers of this country, the names of Mahatma Phule and Savitribai Phule stand at the forefront. What is true must be shown,” Jitendra Awhad, another local opposition politician said.
Today is Mahatma Jyotiba Phule’s 197th birth anniversary.
— Raju Parulekar (@rajuparulekar) April 11, 2025
Look at these excerpts from his books. The essence of it all is to liberate the Bahujans from the yolk of slavery and indignity under the orthodox and oppressive caste system, dominated by orthodox Brahminists.
Why did… pic.twitter.com/YGkYCgIzDR
X users in India also pointed out the inconsistencies in how films rooted in history are treated by the authorities, particularly the CBFC and, by extension, the current political establishment. One user wrote on X: “Mahatma Phule liberated crores of people in this country. He was India’s first revolutionary who fought against the caste system. If Chhaava movie can be released, even promoted by the BJP government, then what is the problem with Phule’s film who hails from the same region?”
The user was referring to Chhaava, a recent historical film. Both films, Chhaava and Phule, are based on figures from Maharashtra, yet the user pointed out that the latter is facing censor cuts, while the former was released without such hurdles.
Onir, a renowned Bollywood filmmaker, besides many others, came out in support of Phule. In a comment on Instagram, he wrote: “What a shame … that the CBFC has to bend to Brahmanical backlash … Dalit sentiment / historical truth does not matter … the status quo to support the power structure has to continue unquestioned.”
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