Documentary on Ram Manohar Lohia showcased 47 years after his death

NEW DELHI: It took more than 47 years after his death to make the first film, a documentary, on the life and times of Ram Manohar Lohia, arguably the architect of India’s anti-Congress, and the larger, Opposition politics.

Its first screening took place before a select audience on Lohia’s 105th birth anniversary on Monday.

The attempt to put Lohia and his “ism” into a short film was not an initiative of any top-rung leaders of the Samajwadi stream of politics.

The documentary ‘Lohia — Champion of the downtrodden’, was produced by Vichar Nyas headed by DP Tripathi, a Rajya Sabha member of NCP. It was directed by Yashwant Giri, a young director from Mumbai film world and nephew of Nepalbased Socialist Pradeep Giri. The paucity of funds took it over two years to complete the film.

“Though not a Lohiaite myself, I acknowledge Lohia’s rich contributions to freedom movement and post-Independence Opposition politics. While working out on a special edition of “Think India” on Lohia’s centenary year in 2010, it struck us there has not been a single film on him. That made us work on this documentary,” Tripathi told ET. The production team could not find a single video footage of Lohia. “I remember Lohia’s associate Krishnathji saying even media was apathetic to the rebel in Lohia and treated him as a bull in a china shop,” said Yashwant.

The film dwells in detail how Lohia, from being an early Nehruite, turned into a bitter critic of India’s first PM — as a strategic tool on taking on the might of Congress and its monopoly in power and building a united Opposition, culminating in SVD alliance ending Congress rule in eight states. It also provides an interesting insight into the warm relations Lohia and Nehru shared. “Lohia told me he held no personal bitterness for Nehru. He said once Nehru’s family rule is stopped, I will have many nice things to speak about Nehru,” late UR Anathamurthy says in the film. As per Krishnanth when bachelor Lohia’s health started failing he told some of his friends that of all places, “at Nehru Pandit’s house I will get the best care”.

The film ends by showing how his comrade-in-arms JP fulfilled Lohia’s dream of ending Congress rule, 10 years after his death, but laments how Lohia’s dream of attaining social equality still remains unfulfilled.