What does Manoj Bajpayee's 'Joram' win at the Filmfare Awards mean for Independent cinema in India?

Devashish Makhija’s gripping thriller film ‘Joram’ has created waves across the country, especially after securing two major awards including Best Film (Critics) and Best Story at the 69th Filmfare Awards. At a time when Makhija’s narrative brilliant clearly stole the limelight at the awards ceremony, it is perhaps also a first for Indian cinema when a major Indian studio has backed an indigenous story. Besides winning accolades, _Joram_ has also premiered at various international festivals including the International Film Festival Rotterdam, Durban International Film Festival, and Busan International Film Festival among others. In his line of multiple independent projects like Taandav, Ajji, and Bhonsle, Devashish Makhija has received massive acclaim for his recent release. The film revolves around the story of a man who tries to protect his child and flee with her from the system’s oppressive measures. Besides Manoj Bajpayee in the lead role, the film also features Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub and Smita Tambe. While Joram has been winning accolades both domestically and internationally, it also seems to have marked an important move for independent cinema in India. Over the years, when the audience has witnessed only big-budget commercial films taking the Black Lady home, especially in the major categories, this time it seems the narrative has flipped as an independently produced film got recognised on such a platform. Speaking on the film’s achievement, the director in interaction with Times Now shared his views about the film’s recognition, further crediting Bajpayee for the same. “There would be no Joram without Manoj Bajpayee . The film is really about the Adivasis of this country. Although it won the Best Story, the story is not mine. It is the story of the Adivasis, what the Adivasis have gone through in this country for 75 years. We are living a certain life in the cities and the development that we are enjoying, someone else is paying the price for it,” he said further expressing his wish to people living in the city to watch the film and think about the choices that they have made. Notably, Joram which has been screened at various international festivals and recently received two Filmfare Awards, has been also included in the core collection of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Library, thus marking a significant recognition for the film’s exceptional narrative and plot.