The fifth episode in season two of popular web series Made in Heaven, featuring Radhika Apte in a guest role as Dalit writer-activist Pallavi Menke, has been the talk of the internet for the past few days. The episode, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and titled ‘The heart skipped a beat’, is being lauded by critics and audiences alike for its unapologetic representation of Dalit resistance, for its visual imagery, and nuanced acknowledgement of caste privileges. But a singular scene from the episode is now garnering attention on social media after a Twitter user called it a “brilliant take” on years of stigmatisation of Dalits in terms of access to water.
In the scene, the protagonist Pallavi, adorned in a serene white sari and gold jewellery, walks through a pond of water to get to the mandap, where her groom awaits. “What a bold and brilliant take on years of stigmatisation of Dalits in access of water! Kudos to Ghaywan,” the Twitter user wrote on Sunday, August 13. Neeraj responded to the tweet by sharing a painting of the Mahad Satyagraha, a historic protest led by Dr BR Ambedkar in 1927, to challenge the caste Hindus’ refusal to allow Dalits to access the same water bodies as them.
https://t.co/hsE6iW1qZX pic.twitter.com/ubtGxsTCth
— Neeraj Ghaywan (@ghaywan) August 14, 2023
The peaceful protest had played out as an act of defiance after caste Hindus in Maharashtra’s Mahad declined to implement the 1923 Bole Resolution, which sought to allow all ‘untouchable classes’ to use public watering places and wells that were maintained through public funds. Though the resolution was adopted by the Bombay government and even confirmed by the Mahad City Council in January 1924, caste Hindus in the region continued to disallow Dalits from exercising this right.
Ambedkar and other activists, who were in Mahad for a two-day conference to discuss Dalit civil rights on March 19-20, 1927, decided that they would march towards the Chavdar tank, where they would assert their moral and legal right to access a public water body. On March 20, Ambedkar led the procession towards the tank, scooped up water from the tank, and drank it, followed by the others who accompanied him. March 20 is now observed as Social Empowerment Day in India.
Amid praises galore for the Made in Heaven episode, lawyer and politician Prakash Ambedkar, the grandson of Dr Ambedkar, also took to Twitter on Monday to appreciate the episode and its director. “I absolutely loved the assertion, defiance and resistance of the Dalit woman character — Pallavi. For those Vanchits and Bahujans who have watched the episode — Assert your identity and only then you gain political prominence. As Pallavi puts it, ‘Everything is about the politics.’ Jai Bhim!” Prakash wrote on Twitter, sharing stills from the episode alongside.
I absolutely loved the assertion, defiance and resistance of the Dalit woman character — Pallavi.
— Prakash Ambedkar (@Prksh_Ambedkar) August 14, 2023
For those Vanchits and Bahujans who have watched the episode — Assert your identity and only then you gain political prominence. As Pallavi puts it, “Everything is about the… pic.twitter.com/i9YETwyLqc
Meanwhile, Neeraj has run into controversy after Yashica Dutt, author of Coming Out as Dalit, accused him of appropriating her life and work for the episode while not giving her credit. Yashica, who is a Dalit from the Bhangi community, shared a statement on her social media handles on Monday, demanding acknowledgement for her and her work. Like Yashica, the episode’s protagonist Pallavi too writes a book called ‘Denied’ and the dialogues mention the phrase ‘coming out’ which was Yashica’s book’s title and a phrase she popularised. However, Yashica’s name does not feature in the credits roll.
Watch the trailer for Season 2 of Made in Heaven here: