Caste Movies: Indian Films and Documentaries About Caste

Caste movies focus on caste in their storylines, and those in the spotlight are made by Dalit filmmakers who tell Dalit stories (High On Films, “15 Great Movies About Caste Discrimination, Dalit Resistance, And Ambedkarite Politics In India”). This guide outlines the major films, documentaries, and caste-related resources. It describes key turning points in the depiction of caste in Indian films, summarizes common criticisms, and offers examples to support its assertions. It refrains from ranking the films and from including plot details that might spoil the films. For an understanding of terms used throughout this guide, see our entry on who Dalits are.

What comprises the genre of caste movies?

There are well over 100 film entries in the Wikipedia category for films on the caste system in India, spanning from the classics to the more recent (Wikipedia, “Category: Films about the caste system in India”). These are made in various languages, including Hindi, Marathi, Tamil and Telugu. Scholars of cinema have broken its history into distinct phases. An abstract for an academic paper describes a shift from the “wretched Dalit” of 1980s films to the “Dalit hero” of more recent films (The Routledge Companion to Caste and Cinema in India, as summarized by South Asian Popular Culture, 2024).

Early cinematic representations of caste

Achhut Kanya (1936) is widely recognized as the first film to attempt to represent caste in Indian cinema, however, scholars suggest that other films can be placed in this line as well, including Raja Harishchandra (1913) by Dadasaheb Phalke. The Routledge Companion suggests that depictions of Harishchandra can be framed in such a way that the household can be read as Dalit (Abstract). In High On Films, it is argued that some earlier films like Achhut Kanya (1936) and Sujata (1959) depicted caste-based issues and promoted reform from an upper-caste perspective by showing caste as a moral failing. films like Manthan (1976) and Paar (1984) focused on rural oppression and resistance while Bandit Queen (1994) placed caste violence at the center of the story. High On Films

Dalit filmmakers

More recently Nagraj Manjule, Pa. Ranjith and Mari Selvaraj have been making films based on ideas of Ambedkar, and portraying Dalit filmmakers and stories, rather than just Dalits (High On Films). The works of these filmmakers are referenced in the Routledge abstract, along with the films Kaala (Pa. Ranjith, 2018) and Karnan (Mari Selvaraj, 2021) (Routledge Companion, abstract). Our Ambedkar Biography page elaborates on the ideas that underpin these films.

Caste films and Dalit films: major works

This is not a comprehensive list or a ranking. For more, see our Jai Bhim Movie Guide.

What critics say about caste in Indian cinema

Opinions differ among critics on the filmic representation of caste. High On Films appreciated the fact that Article 15 positioned caste at the center, in the conventional, mainstream format of cinema (in a way and to an extent that mainstream Bollywood cinema has not done before), and commended it for being a step in the direction of main-streaming Ambedkarite concerns of popular culture (High On Films). One critic appreciated how Fandry was “not just a film about a boy” (High On Films). The Routledge abstract also analyzes how Dalit women’s bodies have beenfilminally represented and sexualized in earlier Kannada films. Our caste matrimonial guide analyzes the marriage across caste line themes depicted in films like Sairat.

Documentary on caste system in India

India Untouched: Stories of a People Apart (2007). This documentary (108 minutes long) was made over four years of filming across eight states and four religions to document untouchability (Maysles Documentary Center; IIT Palakkad screening notice). It won the Best Documentary award at the Mahindra IAAC Film Festival in New York in 2007 and the Golden Conch award for Best Documentary at the Mumbai International Film Festival in 2008 (Wikipedia, “India Untouched”; “Stalin K”). Our resource on untouchability looks at this data.

Caste on the Menu Card. A 21-minute student documentary about food and caste (Wikipedia, “Caste on the Menu Card”; Indian Express and Business Standard, cited in Wikipedia). I have not seen the documentary, and so will not comment on the content.

There are numerous requests to the BBC for a documentary on Caste. I did not find one that I could confirm, so this guide will not include one.

Before you watch

Many of these films are about violence and discrimination and may be disturbing. Streaming availability is different for each country, and may change over time, so please check the services that you have access to. This reading list includes books and our post about Origin and Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste covers a U.S. film on this subject.

Why these films matter

Movies have the potential to reach audiences that books and reports do not. Documentaries are often the first place people see caste on screen. (Blogging, AI tools and email marketing have also become essential skills for community members documenting their own experiences. The AEP has programs to teach these skills.

Takeaway

Caste Movies have transitioned from reform minded dramas told from an upper caste perspective such as Achhut Kanya (1936), to Dalit directors such as Manjule, Ranjith and Selvaraj and their movies Fandry, Sairat, Pariyerum Perumal, Kaala and Karnan. Critics debate the representation of Dalit voices in mainstream movies such as Article 15. Documentaries such as India Untouched (2007) also show untouchability across 8 states. This list is not in any particular order, and the availability of the mentioned documentaries is subject to change.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best-known films about caste in India?
Frequently cited titles include Fandry, Sairat, Masaan, Pariyerum Perumal, Kaala, Article 15, Karnan and Jai Bhim. This guide does not rank them.

What is Dalit cinema?
A term for films that centre Dalit lives, often made by Dalit directors rooted in Ambedkarite thinking. Scholars describe a shift from the “wretched Dalit” of earlier films to the “Dalit hero.”

Is there a documentary on the caste system in India?
Stalin K.’s India Untouched: Stories of a People Apart (2007) documents untouchability across eight states and four religions, and won best documentary awards in Mumbai and New York.

Which caste movie is based on a true story?
Jai Bhim is based on a 1993 custodial death case, and Article 15 draws on the 2014 Badaun allegations and the 2016 Una flogging.

Are caste movies suitable for all viewers?
Many deal with violence and discrimination, so please check each film’s rating and content notes before watching.

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SOURCES

1. High On Films, “15 Great Movies About Caste Discrimination, Dalit Resistance, And Ambedkarite Politics In India”
2. Silverscreen India, “Dalit History Month: 15 Indian Films about Dalit Lives and Liberation”
3. Smashboard, “Eight Anti-Caste Films That Call Out Oppression Unapologetically”
4. Taylor & Francis (South Asian Popular Culture), “The Routledge companion to caste and cinema in India” (abstract)
5. The Third Eye, “Beyond The Divide”
6. Wikipedia, “Fandry”
7. Wikipedia, “Category: Films about the caste system in India”
8. Wikipedia, “India Untouched: Stories of a People Apart”
9. Wikipedia, “Stalin K”
10. Wikipedia, “Caste on the Menu Card”
11. Maysles Documentary Center, “Stalin K Presents: India Untouched”
12. IIT Palakkad, “Caste is not dead yet! A Documentary Screening and Discussion”