Pistulya

Pistulya
Official release poster
Directed by	Nagraj Manjule
Written by	Nagraj Manjule (Story, Screenplay)
Produced by	Nagraj Manjule
Starring	Suraj Pawar Vaishali Kendale Prashant Kamble Vitthal Bulbule Sanket Pavase Nagraj Manjule
Cinematography	Gargee Kulkarni Kutub Inamdar
Edited by	Kutub Inamdar
Music by	Santosh Khatmode
Production companies	Aatpat Production New Arts DCS
Release date	2009 (2009)
Running time	18 minutes
Country	India
Language	Marathi
Budget	₹1.5 lakh^[1]

Pistulya is an Indian Marathi-language short film written and directed by Nagraj Manjule and jointly produced by Aatpat Production and New Arts DCS.^[2] The film won National Film Award for Best First Non-Feature Film of a Director and Best Child Artist Award in Non-feature Film category at the 58th National Film Awards.^[3]^[4] The film features Suraj Pawar in the title role, Vaishali Kendale, and Nagraj Manjule in pivotal roles.

Nagraj Manjule created the film as part of his mass communication course at Pune University, aiming to capture the ethos of a marginalized community living as tramps and address social stigma while expressing a desire for reform. The film was shot over two days in Ahmednagar, with a production cost of ₹1.5 lakh funded by Manjule's friends and family.

The film was screened at Vaanam Art Festival on 8 April 2023.^[5]

Plot

Pistulya, a 8-year-old boy from the backward Waddar community, burdened by his father's demise and his mother's solitary struggle to provide, finds himself ensnared in the allure of quick cash, falling into the clutches of local thugs. However, amidst his illicit endeavors in the village, a chance encounter with a school assembly scene stirs something profound within him. Observing peers of his age, clad in school uniform, reciting prayers, he glimpses a world beyond his current existence. Through the wire-meshed compound, a vision of a brighter future dawns on Pistulya. Remarkably, it's the memory of his younger sister, Lali, that kindles his aspiration for education, sparking a newfound determination to break free from the cycle of vice and pave a path towards a better life for both of them.

Cast

Suraj Pawar as Pistulya
Vaishali Kendale as Laxmi, Pistulya's mother
Prashant Kamble as Bhiku Anna
Vitthal Bulbule as Maruti
Sanket Pavase as Sugrya
Nagraj Manjule as Ambadas

Production

Development

Manjule created the film as part of his mass communication course at Pune University. He mentions the challenge of capturing the ethos of a community living the life of tramps and dealing with social stigma, while also expressing a desire for reform. Nagraj credits his own life experiences for helping him achieve this effect within a 15-minute timeframe.^[6]

Filming and casting

The film was shot over a two-day period in Ahmednagar, with a production cost of ₹1.5 lakh, which was contributed by Manjule's friends and family.^[2] The cast is drawn from Nagraj's own group of friends. He stated "It was perhaps easy for me to identify with the characters shown in the film, because I myself come from the Waddar community (those who hammer and break stone slabs) to which the protagonist, Pistulya, belongs."^[7] Suraj Pawar was offered the role when the director visited his school in Karmala.^[1] Nagraj intends to expand this 15-minute project into a full-length feature film to deliver a compelling social message that he believes will resonate with numerous marginalized and stigmatized communities across the country.^[7]

Critical response

Aishwarya Raj of The Mooknayak wrote "Instead of a happy ending or a sad ending, the film ends with hope, a bitter truth and a question."^[8] A reviewer from The Wire is highlighting the impactful storytelling of the short film. He emphasize how the film sheds light on the struggles and challenges faced by the protagonist, Pistulya, and his widowed mother. He also commend the unexpected yet effective ending of the film.^[9]