Ankur: The Seedling
1974
No user ratings available yet
Diversity score: 6.2 out of 10
You are here:
Find another title
Type to search for movies. Use arrow keys to navigate suggestions, Enter to select, Escape to close.
Manthan
1976
Director
Shyam Benegal
Runtime
134 minutes
Average Rating
No ratings yetSynopsis
A veterinarian, Dr. Rao, makes a visit to a village, where he intends to commence a co-operative society dairy for the betterment of the rural people. The film is set against the backdrop of the White Revolution of India (Operation Flood) which started in 1970. It was entirely crowdfunded by 500,000 farmers who donated Rs. 2 each.
Where to Watch
Diversity & Representation
Overall Score
6.3/10
Good
Category Breakdown
LGBTQ+ Representation
The film lacks LGBTQ+ characters or narratives. It depicts a traditional rural landscape without exploring non-heteronormative identities or subverting gendered sexualities.
Gender Representation
Women are portrayed as essential laborers and decision-makers within the dairy cooperative. This positioning grants them significant economic agency and challenges the trope of the passive female subject.
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
The narrative explores caste-based social structures and socioeconomic stratification. It focuses on the agency of the rural peasantry to examine how identity and class intersect with political participation.
Religious & Cultural Diversity
The film critiques exploitative middleman systems and unregulated private accumulation. It favors a collective, cooperative model that challenges entrenched local power structures and traditional hierarchies.
Disability Representation
There is no significant depiction of physical or neurodivergent disabilities. No such characters serve as central arcs within the narrative.
Strengths
- Elevates the collective peasantry as the central protagonists of the narrative.
- Challenges patriarchal norms by granting women significant economic and functional agency.
- Provides a nuanced exploration of caste and class-based social hierarchies.
Areas for Improvement
- Lacks any representation or exploration of LGBTQ+ identities.
- Does not feature characters or arcs centered around physical or neurodivergent disabilities.
AI Analysis
Manthan is a sophisticated work of social realism that prioritizes collective agency over the 'heroic individual' trope. By centering the cooperative movement, the film elevates the marginalized peasantry as the true protagonists of history. The narrative uses the White Revolution as a vehicle to critique systemic inequality and exploitative power dynamics. It effectively frames the struggle for economic autonomy as a conflict between communal progress and individualistic greed. While the film operates within a traditional historical setting, its focus on disrupting hierarchies provides a potent critique of established social and economic structures.
Similar Movies
Not One Less
1999
No user ratings available yet
Diversity score: 5.7 out of 10
Kanchenjungha
1962
No user ratings available yet
Diversity score: 5.8 out of 10
Iron Earth, Copper Sky
1987
No user ratings available yet
Diversity score: 6.3 out of 10
Swades
2004
No user ratings available yet
Diversity score: 5.8 out of 10
Mother India
1957
No user ratings available yet
Diversity score: 5.8 out of 10
Swayamvaram
1972
No user ratings available yet
Diversity score: 5.7 out of 10
Man of the Story
1995
No user ratings available yet
Diversity score: 5.4 out of 10
Neecha Nagar
1946
No user ratings available yet
Diversity score: 5.8 out of 10
Merku Thodarchi Malai
2018
No user ratings available yet
Diversity score: 5.5 out of 10
Bhavni Bhavai
1981
No user ratings available yet
Diversity score: 6.9 out of 10
Aakrosh
1980
No user ratings available yet
Diversity score: 7.0 out of 10
Rate this Movie
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!
Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.