The latest announcement from Pa Ranjith’s Neelam Productions came early on Sunday morning with the director tweeting their next collaboration with Mumbai-based director Jyotinisha for her upcoming feature-length documentary. Titled BR Ambedkar Now and Then, the project is being crowdfunded on Wishberry platform, hoping to raise Rs 20 lakh in 60 days.
Pa Ranjith shared his excitement the news, exclaiming that this film would go on to make history. Thanking Pa Ranjith for his support, Jyotinisha tweeted, “It is one thing to read Ambedkar and it is another to be an Ambedkarite’.
Announcing @officialneelam next collaboration - with @jyotinisha for her directorual debut “B R Ambedkar Now and Then' - this film will make history! Very excited to work on this. Jai Bhim! pic.twitter.com/3JrnRMVRQ2
— pa.ranjith (@beemji) March 3, 2019
Super excited to share with you all, #brant is collaborating with @officialneelam
— Jyotinisha (@jyotinisha) March 4, 2019
It is one thing to read Ambedkar it is another to be an Ambedkarite @beemji
Happiest day of my life! Thank You! We are still very much crowd funding. Updates to follow. pic.twitter.com/1DH93PmFox
According to the film’s director, BR Ambedkar Now and Then will document the conflicted zones of Bahujan communities in India while also telling their tales from a Bahujan Feminist’s perspective. Through the documentary, Jyotinisha aims to pose an important question - ‘Who is appropriating Ambedkar? Why, and why now?’
Pooja Jain, an independent photographer based out of Mumbai, is the film’s cinematographer. Anuroop Kukreja, a sync sound recordist and sound designer, who has worked in films like Udta Punjab and Kapoor and Sons, has worked on the sound production of the film.
The film’s music has been composed by Shankuraj Konwar, a singer, composer and a record producer from Assam.
In November last year, commemorating the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, a tribal leader from Jharkhand who stood up to the British colonial oppressors in the 19th century, Pa Ranjith announced his Bollywood debut with a film on the leader’s life.
To be produced by Namah Pictures, Pa Ranjith, its director, also announced that the film would be based on Aranyer Adhikar, a Bengali novel written by Mahasweta Devi.
Neelam’s second production, Irandaam Ulaga Porin Kadaisi Gundu, directed by Athiyan Athirai, is currently being filmed. Touted to be a coming-of-age road drama starring Attakathi Dinesh, the film is gearing up for a summer release.