Filmmaker Ananth Mahadevan is opening up about his disappointment after his latest film Phule was left out of the official lineup for this year’s International Film Festival of India (IFFI). The biographical drama, starring Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa, released on April 25 and focused on the life and legacy of social reformers Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule.
Ananth Mahadevan says Phule was “silently boycotted” after IFFI snub; reacts to Homebound going to Oscars: “I feel angry, pained, and helpless”
As IFFI revealed its 2025 schedule, Mahadevan said that he was taken aback to see Phule missing from the list. Sharing his frustration, he told Mid-Day, “I feel angry, pained, and helpless. A government-sponsored festival like IFFI sidelined Phule, despite it being an honest film with credible actors.”
A story rooted in history — still overlooked?
The film chronicles the Phules’ fight against caste discrimination and their pioneering work for women’s education in the 19th century. Mahadevan expected the story’s historical and social relevance to resonate with festival selectors. Instead, he said that the film seems to have been ignored without explanation.
Mahadevan further said, “Phule was not selected for the Oscars either. This is the original caste revolution that happened in India. I haven’t seen Homebound, but I know it’s about caste differences today. When you have cinema of a scale like that of Phule… it’s sad. I feel some kind of silent boycott is happening.”
“Are you saying it doesn’t deserve a chance?”
The director also questioned how Phule did not fit into IFFI’s Indian Panorama section, which features 26 films this year. “If it was a bad film, I’d understand. But considering the kind of films that have been selected at IFFI, it’s disheartening. There are 26 films in the Indian Panorama section. Are you saying it does not deserve a chance among 26 movies?” he asked.
No tax-free support from the government either
The disappointment didn’t end with festival rejection. Mahadevan pointed out that the film received no tax-free status, despite the government recently highlighting Jyotirao Phule’s continued impact. During India’s Independence Day celebrations this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the nation will celebrate Phule’s 200th birth anniversary in 2027. Yet, Mahadevan says the film received no official push.
He concluded, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the bicentenary, but not once when the film was released. He could have supported it by making it tax-free. Not a single state government gave Phule a tax-free status. The producers had applied for it and were promised, but it didn’t come true.”
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