IDSFFK 2025: documentary Sathyapullu explores how political conflicts play out in individual mind

Ramdas Kadavallur’s documentary Sathyapullu (The Magical Grass) is at the same time a personal story as well as a larger exploration of contemporary political and societal realities in the country.

At the core of the documentary, being screened in the Focus: Long Documentary section at the 17th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK), is the thought of how larger political situations play out inside the minds of individuals.

It travels simultaneously through India’s present political conflicts as well as the ways in which they push a young Muslim woman into the depths of depression.

Non-conventional approach

In the maker’s own words, he attempts to break away from a conventional documentary-making approach, by bringing in music and dramatic elements into this non-fiction space. While it takes time getting used to, the documentary slowly pulls you into feeling the dilemmas of the central character.

Poet Rashida Nasriya lends her personal experiences to the documentary, which is also enriched by a long poetry recital by Anwar Ali, which touches upon the many conflicts witnessed in post-Independent India, using the sonorous symbolism of a train.