In Indian cinema, revolutionary movies are typically overshadowed by romance movies, royal movies, or action movies. But there are movies that adopt the far bolder task of depicting reality, the one that provokes, educates, and ultimately transforms. There is one name which is owed greater tribute than a statue or an acknowledgement in a textbook, and that is Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar.
He was not only the father of the Indian Constitution, but also a scholar, a thinker, and an unflinching crusader of social justice. History keeps his ideologies alive — cinema gives us a peek into the man behind the mission. These are five films that explore his life, his legacy, and his long-lasting impact on Indian society — films that educate, but also inflame.
1. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar (2000)
- Languages: English, Hindi, Marathi
- Directed by: Jabbar Patel
- Starring: Mammootty
This National Award-winning biopic features perhaps the most meticulous portrayal of Ambedkar’s life on screen. Mammootty steps into the role with marvellous depth, offering a performance that does not just ape — it feels. It depicts his childhood sufferings, scholarly brilliance abroad, and his ideological battles in India’s freedom struggle. What’s remarkable is the straight-up storytelling. It doesn’t sanitise his existence or turn him into a two-dimensional icon. Instead, it highlights his emotional burden, his tenacity, and the stoic dignity with which he endured systematised oppression.
2. Ramabai Bhimrao Ambedkar (2011)
- Language: Marathi
- Directed by: Prakash Jadhav
This film flips the camera in the opposite direction and shows us Ambedkar’s life in the form of his wife, Ramabai. She’s typically invisible in history, but she was what kept Ambedkar alive. The film showcases her struggles — economic strain, loneliness, and the constant emotional exhaustion of caring for a man devoted to a nation’s cause. It’s not just a companion piece to Ambedkar’s biopic — it’s an essential chapter that reveals the quiet sacrifices behind his public achievements. Ramabai’s character adds emotional gravity and gives audiences a look into the human side of social reform.
3. Nandanar (1935)
- Language: Tamil
- Directed by: Manik Lal Tandon
Even though not directly concerning Dr. Ambedkar, Nandanar is a narrative of caste in an absorbing allegory. The film is regarding a lower caste devotee who wants to enter a temple but is denied. Made in the lifetime of Ambedkar himself, the film allegorically represents the actual oppression he was against. Despite being an older movie, predating the filmmaking practices of today, Nandanar possesses a raw energy that testifies to the brutal ruthlessness of its time. It’s a cultural artefact that resonates with the spirit of Ambedkar’s fight — access, dignity, and belonging.
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4. Court (2014)
- Languages: Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati
- Directed by: Chaitanya Tamhane
Court, this film is done in a modernistic style. It doesn’t show Ambedkar himself, but what issues it does deal with are borrowed directly from his writings. A folk singer is arrested on the charge of having supposedly egged on a worker’s suicide, and the trial that follows is a slow, suspenseful one that illustrates how inherently defective and biased the justice system is, especially against the downtrodden. The court is sombre but discomfiting. Every shot, every silence, and every bureaucrat shrug appears to be a condemnation of a justice system that still clings to caste and class. It’s a film that owes its debt to Ambedkar’s dream without mentioning his name, and that makes it all the more great.
Why These Films?
In the age of fast content and flashy storytelling, these films slow us down and make us think. They ask uncomfortable questions. They reveal injustices we’ve grown too used to ignoring. And most importantly, they remind us of one truth — Dr. Ambedkar’s work is far from over. These films don’t just revisit the past. They challenge us to reflect on our present. Whether you’re familiar with his work or just starting to explore it, these stories will leave a mark. Because cinema, at its best, doesn’t just entertain. It awakens.
Writer-Subham Choudhary