Tuesday, 22 September 2020

Bharatbala breathes life into an untold story ‘Pehlwan’: The story of fighters and protectors in Mumbai


An original high velocity soundtrack by Dopeadelicz provides the backdrop for the short film nested on Virtual Bharat’ channel 

Mumbai, 22nd September 2020: With unique stories hidden in every nook and corner of our diverse nation, famed Indian filmmaker Mr. Bharatbala & his team at Virtual Bharat have conjured up a diamond in the rough that is ‘Pehlwan’. This short film that premiered on Youtube has already struck an emotional chord with its viewers through its mesmerizing storytelling, picturesque cinematography and goosebump-inducing music by Dopeadelicz.

The original song created for the movie has been envisioned and strung together by the famed musical rap group from the streets of Dharavi 'Dopeadelicz', who were also featured in the film 'Gully Boy'. The high powered and quick paced beats are an apt representation of the essence of living in Mumbai.

Talking about the film, Mr. Bharatbala said, “’Pehlwan’ brings to the screen a beautiful story of real-life fighters and protectors in Mumbai. The storyline gives a glimpse of how they view our world. The soul and quintessence of Mumbai and its people have always been a story of motivation for people living in the rest of the country. While this spirit of the city has been aesthetically captured in various popular mainstream movies,  through this film, I wish to shine a light on stories that don’t often make it into the mainstream but still deserve a platform on its own. At times heartbreaking and at times uplifting, the film will leave an indelible mark on the viewers.”

‘Pehlwan: The Migrant Warrior’ is dedication to the spirit of Mumbai. The city of dreams. The city of warriors. The city of migrants. The city that calls out to every migrant with a dream: “tu aaja, tu aaja, tu aaja pehlwan…rukna mat, rukna mat, rukna mat, pehlwan.” In this bustling city of 22 million, the story focuses on the pehlwans of Mahatma Phule Akhada, buried in the heart of  Chinchpokli.

What sets these migrants apart is that they not only take on the dream and struggles of Mumbai, but dedicate themselves to training in, and keeping alive, the ancient Indian art form – Pehlwani. An intensive sport, born in South India and honed in the Mughal courts, involving over 8 hours of practice a day, and an challenging daily regime.

Virtual Bharat, a 1000 film journey of India that aims to uncover untold human stories of India through these spectacular short films, premiered ‘Pehlwan’ on their channel on YouTube on the 21st of SeptemberThe gripping narration uncovers the true meaning of being a ‘Pehlwan,’ a warrior and a true role model to the Indian male, and with it brings forth the fighting spirit of the city of Mumbai.

The film can be watched on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y24HZ_S3byE

About Mr. Bharatbala:

A person who breathes life into his visuals through real people and places, filmmaker Bharatbala tells Indian stories with a universal sensibility in the most exotic locations across the subcontinent. He is renowned for his grand visions for India, his most popular being Vande Mataram Ma Tujhe Salaam, inspired by father, an idea vision that took audiences by storm and 23 years later is still sung across stadiums and clubs when the youth want to feel a big India emotion. His other celebrated projects include the Incredible India ad films which branded India and put the country the global map, Jana Gana Mana featuring 50 of India’s classical maestros and Gurus of Peace, a documentary on the Nobel Peace awardees in which Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama and major world leaders are seen saying Vande Mataram. His first feature film, Hari Om, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival 2004 and travelled to over 35 international festivals. He then went on to make his critically acclaimed second film, Maryan, starring actors Dhanush and Parvathy.

Bharatbala’s current big idea for India, Virtual Bharat, is a 1000 film journey on the untold human stories of India. The project premiered in August 2019 and has, in a few months, generated great appreciation across the nation. There are over 14 films released on Virtual Bharat's YouTube Channel. They have been tweeted about by everyone from Piyush Goyal, Smriti Irani, Nitin Gadkari, Shashi Tharoor, William Dalrymple, the Indian Ambassador to the United Nations to AR Rahman, Shreya Ghoshal and Aditi Rao Hydari. 

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