Chandrudu: A Short Film that Sheds Light on the Dark Reality of Casteism in India

Caste has been a pervasive affliction across the country, and even the Andhra region has not been immune to its insidious impact. The short film 'Chandrudu' artfully employs the symbolism of slippers as a mark of honor in rural Andhra, where barefootedness was once a common sight, particularly some 30-35 years ago. Despite the rarity of such a sight today, the film's poignant message still resonates, as evidenced by its inclusion in prestigious international film festivals such as the Ontario Film Festival and the 7th Indian World Film Festival.

Inspired by real life events

In an interview with The Mooknayak, John Sreedhar, the talented director of the film, recounted a memorable incident when he visited the office of Mr. Gandham Chandrudu, the district collector. He noticed a signboard outside his chamber that read, "No one should enter my chamber without slippers," which left a deep impression on him. Later, he chanced upon a thought-provoking Facebook post by Gandham Chandrudu, portrayed masterfully by Srinivas Kalyan, that shed light on his struggles with caste discrimination during his childhood. Sreedar found the post to be a source of inspiration and shared it with his team, who worked diligently to shoot the film in just 10 days.

Double whammy of caste & poverty

The film Chandrudu commences with a poignant scene in which the young protagonist, Chandrudu, is depicted as a diligent student. The film adeptly delves into the pernicious intersectionality of caste and poverty, exemplified by scenes in which Chandrudu is humiliated and forced to stand barefooted outside the bus stand by an upper-caste person. Another gut-wrenching scene depicts Chandrudu posing for a photograph on a scorching road, with his bare soles burning on the hot tarmac, illustrating how the agony of poverty is further exacerbated by the suffocating grip of caste.

The delight on getting slippers

In the latter part of the film, Chandrudu's father gifts him a brand new pair of slippers as a reward for securing admission to the prestigious Novodaya Vidyalaya. The film impeccably captures the sheer delight and elation on Chandrudu's face as he ecstatically runs through the village in his new footwear, a symbol of his father's love and pride in his son's achievement.

The film's final scene poignantly portrays Chandrudu's innocent ignorance of the harsh realities of caste discrimination, despite being a victim of it. The film culminates with a powerful message delivered by Chandrudu's father, portrayed impeccably by actor and producer Revanth GH, as he expounds on the insidious nature of caste.

It is worth noting that the scene in which Chandrudu uses a photo of Ambedkar as a writing pad was a product of the director's imagination, as John Sreedhar proudly declares his Ambedkarite inspiration.

The inspiration behind the film

The real-life inspiration for the film, Gandham Chandrudu, is a distinguished IAS Officer of the 2009 batch, currently serving as Director of Tribal Welfare in Andhra Pradesh. His extraordinary accomplishments also include obtaining a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University in 2022-23, a remarkable achievement for someone who had to overcome the obstacles of caste and poverty, as depicted in the film.The film's excellence was recognized even at Harvard, where it was screened, as revealed by Chandrudu himself during his conversation with director John Sreedhar.