Manthan

Manthan is a film based on real life incident inspired by milk cooperative movement of Late Verghese Kurien and is directed by Shyam Benegal. The film stars Late Girish Karnad, Late Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Late Amrish Puri.

A veterinarian makes a visit to a village, where he intends to commence a co-operative society dairy for the betterment of the rural people.

This is one of the most underrated and brilliant work of Indian cinema and one of the lesser talked film. The film is superb in many aspects be it the realism the film carries, the originality of the characters and their acting, the true depiction of caste-ism prevailing at that time in the society and is still prevails in some parts of rural India and also the politics between the villagers.

Screenplay of the film is superb and will keep you engrossed to the screen. Acting is superb be it Smita Patil, Nasir or Amrish Puri. Amrish Puri has again played a negative character here but this character is very different from other negative characters as there is no beating of villain, there is no hardcore action and the villain is still there to stay at the end of the film.

There is only one song in the film and the song is melodious. The climax of the film could've been little more refined but still works well. A good and underrated film to watch.

My dad saw this movie when it released in theaters back in the 70's. He insisted that I watch the movie before any other. So, I saw the movie on Amul official website(you can watch it online) and was Stunned!!. It has been 35 years since this movie released but it is just timeless. Time can erode a movie technically but the emotional part if in its place remains intact. The acting is brilliant, so is the direction and technically also, it is quite good. Shyam Benegal takes you to Gujarat in the small village. You actually FEEL for the villagers and want to join them in their fight against Amrish Puri(the Milk Mafia). It is fair in length, there is never a boring moment and as the climax approaches, the tension actually gets to you. It is an emotional ride. I will watch it 10 times if they re-release it in theaters. A must watch.

How can anyone sit through this movie and not be moved by the plight of poor people the world over who have been controlled by tradition, superstition, power, and, greed. Every country in the world is reflected in this eloquently told story of poor Gujerati dairy farmers whose sole means of existence is based on their buffalo's milk and the control they are placed under by the higher castes of society. Shyam Benegal has told a very straightforward and real tale of the desire to reform the past and how difficult a task it is to bring change to a simple village under the spell of centuries of belief systems that rob the individual's chance of ever rising out of poverty and the control of a few. A gem and a very sobering film for all to consider.

An inspiring story based on the Milk Cooperative movement Amul in Gujarat. The story here about the various challenges faced in starting a cooperative. How the winning of trust, maintaining integrity and fairness, and true to purpose and values at all times are paramount. Both in winning the respect of the people, the eventual stakeholders who run the co-operative, and in being able to maintain one's sanity at the most challenging times. I'm happy also about how the movie ends in a positive note, how success and equality across caste and gender is still possible in our country

Manthan is an extraordinarily powerful and intense depiction of social change. As it has been 15 years since I've seen this film, my recollection of details may not be completely accurate; but the story tells the struggle of Indian dairy farmers to gain a fairer share of the proceeds of their labor from the larger milk-processing companies to whom they sell their raw milk. While my recollection of factual details about this movie is limited, I do recall vividly the strong emotional and artistic impact Manthan had on me. It should be noted that director Benegal also made Ankur (The Seedling) which, with a completely different story, also incarnates the painful social changes India is undergoing as it moves from a more to a less feudal social structure -- and in both movies dealing with these themes without preachiness or pronounced ideological heavyhandedness.