Phule Movie Review
Release Date: April 25, 2025
Director: Ananth Narayan Mahadevan
Cast: Pratik Gandhi, Patralekhaa Paul, Vinay Pathak, Darsheel Safary, Sushil Pandey, Alexx O’Nell
Genre: Biography, Drama
Duration: 2 hours 9 minutes
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)
Director: Ananth Narayan Mahadevan
Cast: Pratik Gandhi, Patralekhaa Paul, Vinay Pathak, Darsheel Safary, Sushil Pandey, Alexx O’Nell
Genre: Biography, Drama
Duration: 2 hours 9 minutes
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)
Director Ananth Narayan Mahadevan brings forth the interesting yet historical story of social reformers Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule through his biographical drama titled “Phule.“ Through Pratik Gandhis and Patralekha Pauls strong acting the film tries to maintain the honesty of the Phules‘ legacy but fails to sustain its narrative flow producing a mixed watching experience.
Plot and Themes
The film takes the audience back to 19th-century Poona (now Pune) to examine Jyotirao (Pratik Gandhi) and Savitribai (Patralekhaa Paul) as they battled various societal norms in their lifetime. The Phules devoted their lives to educating girls and fighting for abandoned widows and oppressed communities despite encounters with Brahmin resistance and opposition from their family and personal losses. The story begins during the period of bubonic plague in 1897 and then shifts back to 1840s which tells about the Phules’ transformative work that included establishing the Satyashodhak Samaj (Truth-Seekers’ Society) in 1873.
This documentary addresses its three main themes through realistic storytelling by focusing on casteism alongside patriarchy and the education-based transformative actions. The retelling remains factual without treatment for sensationalization as it focuses primarily on how the couple demonstrated resilience. The film explores many historical events starting from plagues through the 1857 mutiny and concluding with French Revolution impacts yet this broad examination produces a feeling of factual data collection instead of a unified narrative.
Performances
The role of reformer Jyotirao Phule gets masterfully recreated by Pratik Gandhi through his powerful portrayal which expertly represents both the intellectual drive and determined spirit of the character. Through his dual capacity to show integrity and determination during his confrontations with his upper-caste opponents the film remains grounded. The portrayal of Savitribai by Patralekhaa Paul in the film successfully brings to life the rebel spirit of a woman who broke free from social barriers. Her monologue which attacks the hypocrisy of Brahmins stands out among her performance but her connexion to the script makes some moments pall.
The talented supporting players Vinay Pathak and Sushil Pandey contribute enriched family relationships to the movie through their portrayals of Jyotirao’s patriarch and brother. The acting performance of Darsheel Safary as the Phules’ adopted son feels underutilised which leads to underdevelopment of his character. Akshaya Gurav presents an intense performance that captures the attention in her small but powerful role as Fatima Shaikh who supported the Phules’ work.
Direction and Craft
Ananth Mahadevan applies the same measured approach to direction that he used in Mee Sindhutai Sapkal when he made “Phule.” Director Ananth Mahadevan dedicates himself to authenticity which shows through the unpretentious filming by Sunita Radia who accurately recreates 19th-century Maharashtra. The second half of the film faces challenges because its screenplay maintains a slow pace between personal scenes and historical elements. Editor Raunak Phadnis maintains a compact runtime but some sequences shift rapidly between core events thus minimizing dramatic impact.
The film’s music composition by Rohan Rohan remains subtle yet fails to enhance the plot due to the recurring themes of flute instruments. The movie’s authentic production design along with its costumes reliably presents the period accurately without employing excessive Bollywood styles.
Strengths and Shortcomings
The film shows its excellence by rejecting conventional commercial Hindi cinema elements. Through its respectful approach the movie establishes a distinguished mood which contrasts the grandiose period films popular in Bollywood. The film delivers both a current relevance and essential historical significance by telling the Phules’ storey about Dalit rights movement and women’s education.
The film attempts to tell the complete life storey of the Phules which leads to a narrative that feels packed yet lacks depth. The film shows respect for important scenes like the girls’ school opening and Savitribai’s teaching history but it fails to create strong emotional connexions between these events and the viewers. The screenplay jointly authored by Mahadevan and Muazzam Beg contains powerful dialogues but struggles to maintain narrative coherence throughout the storey. Caste-related information in the film seems conflicted because of CBFC cuts resulting in unresolved and insufficient exploration of these conflicts.
Controversy and Context
The film production “Phule” encountered operational delays following Brahmin social group opposition about caste-related content which prompted CBFC to impose modifications on references to specific social groups along with the removal of lines containing “3,000 saal purani ghulami.“ These modifications to the film do not change the core meaning but reveal the obstacles in showing truthful historical content during the present day in India. According to Director Mahadevan the historical accuracy of the film remains key and viewers see both positive and negative feedback from Brahmin characters in the narrative.
Verdict
The historical documentary “Phule” succeeds in showing the revolutionary work of Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule through the remarkable acting of Pratik Gandhi and detailed historical authenticity. Less powerful storytelling elements and a slow pace together with erratic screenwriting and cautious treatment of controversial themes make this film less than it could have been as a compelling biographical film. The documentary effectively educates viewers about historical events but falls short of delivering major entertaining elements which makes it interesting for viewers interested in historical narratives alone.
Recommended For: History enthusiasts, fans of biographical dramas, and viewers who appreciate parallel cinema.
View the film to witness Pratik Gandhi’s powerful performance in addition to observing the important social projects developed by the Phules.
View the film to witness Pratik Gandhi’s powerful performance in addition to observing the important social projects developed by the Phules.
Where to Watch: In theaters nationwide. Check showtimes on BookMyShow or Paytm.
Final Thought
 The film honors two Indian reform leaders through “Phule” despite having weak storytelling elements which reduce its transformative impact. View the movie to understand their work as well as reflect upon their transformative historical impact.
Disclaimer:The following evaluation of the movie draws only from a cinematic perspective after a theatre screening of the film. Research about the Phules can be found by reading historical publications while credible digital sources provide additional information about their legacy.