The documentary ‘BR Ambedkar Now and Then’ (BRANT), directed by Jyoti Nisha, has recently found a new audience on the streaming platform MUBI.
Since its release, it has received praises for the way it blends history with the present, making it a favorite among viewers looking for meaningful cinema.
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The 90-minute film does more than just retell Babasaheb Ambedkar’s fight against caste-based discrimination during the freedom movement. It connects his struggles and ideas with today’s social and political realities.
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One of the strongest aspects of the film is the way it tackles big questions around religion, revolution, freedom, and mythology, all while keeping caste and representation at the center. It looks at how the Constitution, Ambedkar’s biggest contribution, remains a tool of resistance for those still fighting systemic inequalities.
Also Read: Anurag Kashyap slams censorship drama around ‘Phule’: “If casteism didn’t exist…”
Alongside this, the film captures voices from the ground: student protests, Dalit-Bahujan marches, conferences, and demonstrations that highlight ongoing struggles.
To give depth, the documentary includes interviews with a wide range of people that includes artists, activists, musicians, filmmakers, and student leaders. Many of them come from Bahujan backgrounds, while others bring outside perspectives.
Shot over several years, it covers locations across India, where backdrops are not just cities but landscapes of history, struggle, and change, capturing both celebrations and sites of caste atrocities.
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