Panel set up for movie on social reformer Mahatma Phule

The Maharashtra government has set up a 7-member committee of experts to supervise the production of cinema on social reformer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule.

The committee is headed by the Director General of Information and Public Relations (DGIPR) while the Director (Information) will be member secretary. The expert members include Pandharinath Sawant, Dr Aruna Dhere, Sadanand More, Hari Narke and Datta Bhagat.

As per the notification issued by the general administration department undersecretary RN Musale, the committee will finalise the script and screenplay for the film and also supervise that the historical truths are maintained during the production.

Senior NCP Minister and Samata Parishad Founder Chhagan Bhujbal said the state government had thought of a film on Mahatma Phule after the film on Dr BR Ambedkar was released in 2000. However, it could not happen then.

“I sincerely feel the film on Mahatma Phule will be helpful to advocate the importance of education and create awareness against blind faith and create awareness against black magic. Film is an effective medium to project Mahatma Phule’s valuable contribution in social reforms,’’ noted.

On the other hand, Narke, who is also Editor and Secretary, Mahatma Phule Granth Samiti, recalled that the great social revolutionary Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and his wife Savitribai Phule opened the doors of education for Indian women in the middle of the nineteenth century.

“For the first time in about 65 years, films are being made in Hindi, English and Marathi on behalf of the Government of Maharashtra.