‘Manthan’, the world’s first crowdfunded film, was made possible by contributions from thousands of Gujarat’s dairy farmers to help bring their story to the big screen.
It’s this 1976 classic that gave us the iconic Amul jingle, “Mero gaam katha parey…”.
The story of Amul
June 1st marks World Milk Day. For India, world’s largest milk producer, this day holds special significance due to the transformative journey of its dairy sector.
Dr Verghese Kurien, often called ‘the Milkman of India’, led the dairy revolution that freed farmers from monopolies and made India the top milk producer. His efforts turned Amul into Asia’s largest cooperative dairy brand.
The White Revolution's journey to the big screen
Celebrated film director Shyam Benegal, who had already done many documentaries for Kurien, suggested a film to showcase the success of the great ‘White Revolution’. However, the project soon ran into financial difficulties.
Dr Kurien, the pioneer that he was, proposed a novel idea of getting the over 500,000 dairy farmers from Gujarat's Kheda district to contribute ₹2 each, essentially making them all producers!
Thus, was created ‘Manthan’, India's and the world’s first crowdfunded feature film.
The film focused on the plight of a lower-caste, impoverished community cheated out of their rights and dues. It portrayed the establishment of milk cooperatives and the genesis of Amul, India's iconic dairy brand.
‘Manthan’ not only won national awards but also became a symbol of collective effort and self-reliance. Its goal was to convincingly tell the story of the White Revolution's beginnings and communicate its benefits to a wider audience.
Amul's lasting legacy
On May 17, 2024, 48 years after its release, a 4K restoration of Benegal’s ‘Manthan’ was screened at the Salle Buñuel theatre in the Cannes Classics sidebar. To a global audience, ‘Manthan’ showcased the power of unity, resilience, and innovation in India’s dairy sector.
Through time, ‘Manthan’ has stood for the power of the people and the fight for social justice.
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