Manthan: The 'Amul' Movie Funded by Five Lakh Farmers

'Mathan' is a movie made in 1976 that was entirely funded by five lakh farmers who each donated two rupees. It holds the distinction of being the first crowdfunded Indian film. What is the story behind 'Manthan' and why did lakhs of farmers fund this movie?

Manthan was released under the name 'The Churning internationally; Image source: procaffenation

Lights, Camera, Action!

Let's journey back to the 1970s and immerse ourselves in a small village in Gujarat. In this village, the residents, predominantly farmers who rely on milk production for their livelihoods, sell their milk through the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd., better known as Amul.

But today, in the year 1970, the scene is different.

Farmers, in the hundreds of thousands, gather to watch Shyam Benegal's fourth film- Manthan. The movie commences with the title sequence: "500,000 farmers of Gujarat present..."

People from various locations have come to witness the first-ever crowd-funded movie in India. Instead of relying on traditional producers, Manthan was brought to life solely through the funding of 5 Lakh farmers, with each contributing Rs 2.

Manthan narrates the story of the White Revolution in India, a movement aimed at increasing milk production in the country and empowering dairy farmers. The revolution was led by Dr Verghese Kurien, affectionately known as the 'Father of the White Revolution,' who founded Amul, a brand that forever transformed the farmer cooperative and dairy industry in India.

Amul logo; Image source: Wikimedia Foundation

The movie revolves around Dr Rao(portrayed by Girish Karnad), a veterinary surgeon who visits a village and witnesses the struggles of the dairy farmers. Determined to make a difference, he initiates a milk cooperative society but faces opposition from local businessman Mishraji (played by Amrish Puri) and the Sarpanch (played by Kulbhushan Kharbanda). Additionally, the lower caste farmers in the village resist the cooperative due to their distrust of outsiders. Bhola (played by Naseeruddin Shah), a young and courageous leader, takes charge of their resistance. With the support of Bhola and Bindu (played by Smita Patil), who represents the local village women, Dr Rao successfully establishes the cooperative, now known as Amul.

A still from the movie; Image source: cinestaan

Manthan garnered critical acclaim and commercial success, receiving several awards, including the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi. It was praised by critics for its realistic portrayal of rural life in India, featuring renowned actors and delivering a strong social message.

While the movie is fictional, it draws heavily from the life experiences of Amul and its founder, Dr Kurien.

The idea for Manthan originated from Dr Kurien himself, who approached renowned filmmaker Shyam Benegal to direct the film.

Benegal estimated a budget of around Rs 10 to 12 lakhs for the movie. Dr Kurienthen reached out to dairy farmers, requesting their support in bringing the film to fruition. Benegal recalls, “We told the farmers that we will all bring a begging bowl to you and say we want to show the world the story of your labour and dedication. So, you just give us Rs 2.”

Dr Kurien's intended to ignite enthusiasm and pride among dairy farmers across the country. The film not only tells his story and Amul's story but also sheds light on the struggles faced by farmers in India and how they were exploited by those in power.

Therefore, Creating a movie centred around these farmers was vital for their upliftment. Dr Kurien recognised this, prompting him to seek funding directly from the farmers.

Dr Kurien approached them with a proposition: “We will give you ‘2 Rupees’ less every day. You have to sell your milk for Rs 6 instead of Rs 8... we want to tell your story.” 

The farmers agreed.

Approximately 5 lakh farmers contributed two rupees each. Inspired by Dr Kurien's vision of a self-sufficient dairy cooperative in India, they eagerly lent their support to help bring his story to the screen.

Manthan won the 1977 National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi, as well as the National Film Award for Best Screenplay for Vijay Tendulkar. It was also India’s submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1976.

The title song, Mero Gaam Katha Parey, sung by Preeti Sagar, won her the 'Filmfare Award' for 'Best Female Playback Singer' that year. You might find the title of the song familiar because it later became the soundtrack for Amul's iconic television commercial.

The success of Manthan demonstrated that crowd-funding could be utilised to produce high-quality films. The film's portrayal of the White Revolution inspired other filmmakers to delve into social and economic issues, paving the way for the rise of independent cinema.