Indian ‘heroes’ are, invariably, upper-caste. From history textbooks to mainstream cinema, the figures we are encouraged to admire, emulate, and celebrate overwhelmingly come from traditional Savarna backgrounds – be it a freedom fighter, a war hero, or a cinematic icon. A few rare exceptions exist, like director Ananth Mahadevan’s latest film Phule, which is based on the lives of anti-caste social reformer couple Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule.
