TIRUCHY: The Untouchability Files, a documentary film about the atrocities against the Dalits in Tamil Nadu, including the Vengaivayal issue, won the Norway Tamil Film Festival award and was officially selected for screening at the Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival in Delhi.
“Despite the constitution emphasising social justice for the past 75 years, the caste discrimination has prevailed in the country and thus the atrocities against the Dalits have continued,” MS Raj, the film Director who is set to receive the Best Documentary Award at the 16th Norway Tamil Film Festival on April 26, told DT Next.
The 62-minute documentary film speaks widely about the atrocities committed against the Dalits in Tamil Nadu, and the people of the Dalit colony were forced to drink water mixed with human faeces.
“We have met the people in Vengaivayal, and they told us that they want justice, and this is inhumane that the victims are termed as the accused,” claims Raj.
Raj further said, despite the lower court having given the verdict, the case is still on with the higher court.
“But still, the creative artist must record the statements of real victims. This is a visual statement, and a few people did not drink water for 18 days due to aversion and managed with the buttermilk and other water sources, and they have spoken about their experience in the film,” said the director.
The Untouchability Files not only speaks about the Vengaiayal issue but also the suicide of a Dalit cleanliness worker from Udankudi in Thoothukudi due to the atrocity and the prolonged fight by school students from classes 1 to 10 from Tirupattur district for want of a community certificate.
The Norway film festival jury had sent a message to the Director Raj, lauding his efforts in exposing the true fight of people from marginal communities. The email read that ‘The Untouchability Files’ was the ‘real war for justice’ and the jury was shocked to witness the people’s fight for justice.
Meanwhile, ‘The Untouchability Files’ has officially been selected for screening in the 15th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival scheduled to be held in Delhi.