Pa Ranjith to produce filmmaker Jyoti Nisha's documentary on Babasaheb Ambedkar

Filmmaker Jyoti Nisha's attempt to document the life and teachings of Dr BR Ambedkar on the screen has found the backing of filmmaker Pa Ranjith. Pa Ranjith's Neelam Films has now picked up the documentary, BR Ambedkar: Now and Then, as its next project.

The Kaala (2018) director also produced Pariyerum Perumal (2018).

The film by Jyoti Nisha is a documentary feature shot across a period of two years. The filmmaker travelled across eight states to collect stories and incidents that provide a commentary on the teachings and impact of Dr Ambedkar on the life of the Bahujan and Dalit communities in a changing India.

In the trailer to the feature, Jyoti Nisha spoke about the death of Rohith Vemula being one of the sparks that set off her decision to shoot the documentary. The filmmaker has already raised Rs1.40 crore out of her initial budget of Rs2 crore for the film on Wishberry.

The description of the film reads: "BR Ambedkar Now and Then draws a parallel between Ambedkar’s larger-than-life fight against an omniscient Brahmanical hegemony during the Indian National movement and the contemporary times in India when his minority status and constitution are once again becoming a challenge for the intrepid Brahamanical intelligentsia."

With Pa Ranjith's backing, it is likely that the film might find a sharper political outlook and an impressive platform to launch itself.