Manthan: The Indian film at Cannes made by half a million farmers

Manthan is a groundbreaking film made by farmers in India. It was produced in the mid-1970s by half a million dairy farmers in the state of Gujarat. Each farmer contributed two rupees to fund the film. The movie, directed by Shyam Benegal, tells the story of the dairy cooperative movement in India, which transformed the country from a milk-deficient nation to the world's leading milk producer. The film is a fictionalized narrative inspired by the work of Verghese Kurien, also known as the 'Milkman of India'. It is interesting to note that India today accounts for nearly a quarter of the global milk production. After almost 50 years, the film has been restored and is set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. The restoration process was quite challenging due to the damaged original film and the complete destruction of the sound negative. However, after 17 months of hard work, the film was reborn in ultra high definition 4K. The movie boasts a stellar cast and tells the story of a government veterinary doctor who arrives in a village in Gujarat to start a dairy cooperative. The film is a powerful reminder of cinema's ability to drive change and remains relevant today as it explores a range of issues that continue to affect contemporary India.