Sociological Analysis of the Film Phule: Social Reform, Caste Dynamics, and the Emancipatory Power of Education

In this paper, we embark on a sociological journey to explore the 2025 Marathi film Phule, a deeply moving and meticulously crafted portrayal of the revolutionary lives and transformative work of Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule. We delve deeply into how the film captures the complex and often heartbreaking interplay of caste, class, and gender within the rigid social hierarchy of 19th-century colonial India. By dissecting the film’s nuanced representation of their pioneering efforts in social reform, the profound and transformative role of education as a tool for liberation, their unwavering and courageous resistance to Brahminical oppression, and their relentless advocacy for gender empowerment, this paper reveals Phule as a powerful and truly essential cinematic tool for comprehending historical social justice movements. Our analysis is framed through the insightful and interconnected lenses of Ambedkarite sociology, Marxist theory, and feminist thought, illuminating the profound, often perilous, and always inspiring nature of their struggle for a more equitable society.