“A masterful example of the art of documentary.” – The Upcoming
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY:
Vinay Shukla
Khushboo Ranka
PRODUCED BY:
Vinay Shukla, Khushboo Ranka, Anand Gandhi
A non-fiction drama chronicling the most outrageous political debut in the largest democracy in the world, “An Insignificant Man” follows Arvind Kejriwal and his insurgent party as they look to shake up Indian politics while struggling to keep their own idealism alive. At the heart of An Insignificant Man is the most polarising man in India today – Arvind Kejriwal. The film follows Kejriwal and his Common Man’s Party – an insurgent new political party, as they wield basic public issues like water, electricity, and graft against the country’s oldest and most powerful two pol read more
A non-fiction drama chronicling the most outrageous political debut in the largest democracy in the world, “An Insignificant Man” follows Arvind Kejriwal and his insurgent party as they look to shake up Indian politics while struggling to keep their own idealism alive.
At the heart of An Insignificant Man is the most polarising man in India today – Arvind Kejriwal. The film follows Kejriwal and his Common Man’s Party – an insurgent new political party, as they wield basic public issues like water, electricity, and graft against the country’s oldest and most powerful two political establishments. It gives an insider’s view into Kejriwal’s brand of politics, which has split popular opinion into two prominent factions. One labels it selfish and anarchic, while the other insists on seeing it as a major shift in the Indian political paradigm.
The 100-minute film has been distilled from 400 hours of behind-the-scenes footage shot over a course of two years with a fly-on-the-wall approach. We gain a premium, all-access pass to the backstage of a new brand of politics, finding strength all over the world, transporting us smack dab in the middle of party offices, daily meetings, heated arguments, inside jokes, campaign strategies and the true events and ideologies that inform rhetoric in public space.
With never-before-seen footage, the film offers a unique insight into the fledgling political party’s battle between survival and extinction in the largest democracy in the world. It follows activists, politicians, and academics on their best days and their worst, as they navigate the absurdities, trials, and chaos of Indian politics; and as they reveal their agendas, intentions and ambitions. Capturing moments of triumph and despair, the film is a moving cinematic journey through the narrow lanes of Delhi’s slums to the closed corridors of political power.
After our initial release was stonewalled by the Censor Board, we took the film to the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT). As a result of our legal battle, a landmark precedent now exists against the censorship of political cinema.
We also democratised the distribution of our film by allowing cinema-goers to create and host their own screenings.This allowed access to people across the farthest reaches of the country, as we enjoyed the widest dissemination of any non-fiction film in Indian history.
After our initial release was stonewalled by the Censor Board, we took the film to the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT). As a result of our legal battle, a landmark precedent now exists against the censorship of political cinema.
We also democratised the distribution of our film by allowing cinema-goers to create and host their own screenings.This allowed access to people across the farthest reaches of the country, as we enjoyed the widest dissemination of any non-fiction film in Indian history.
“Combining exceptional access and deft editing” – Screen International
“A masterful example of the art of documentary.” – The Upcoming
