Phule Review: Pratik Gandhi And Patralekhaa Shine In A Story That Still Matters

Phule tells the incredible true story of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule, India’s first female teacher and one of the earliest champions of women’s education.

In one of Phule’s most poignant moments, a line strikes deep: “In our country, the easiest way to divide people is through religion. That’s why education is essential.” It’s a simple truth, yet it echoes with a weight that’s hard to shake. Over 125 years ago, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule saw the path forward—and walked it, despite society standing firmly in his way.

Today, if the women in our homes, our daughters, wives, and mothers, can access education and live with dignity, a great deal of credit goes to the man whose life this film so powerfully honours. Phule isn’t action-packed in the conventional sense; there are no high-speed chases or explosive stunts. But it has something far more potent, intellectual courage and a fight of ideas.

This is cinema with a conscience—and a reminder that meaningful storytelling still has a place on the big screen.

The Story: Education as Revolution

Phule tells the incredible true story of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule, India’s first female teacher and one of the earliest champions of women’s education. At a time when teaching girls was seen as blasphemy and caste-based discrimination was violently enforced, Jyotiba began by educating his wife. Together, they opened the first school for girls in India, defying deeply entrenched social norms.

This wasn’t just an act of defiance—it was a movement. And the film captures this battle against patriarchy, casteism, and ignorance with honesty and grace.

The Quietly Powerful Storyline

Phule isn’t in a rush, and it doesn’t need to be. Its unhurried pace mirrors the time it’s set in—a world of slow reforms and deeply rooted resistance. Yes, it may feel slower than today’s fast-cut blockbusters, but it’s immersive and intentional. It draws you in, scene by scene.

The film masterfully exposes the harsh realities of the time, where even the shadow of a lower caste person was considered polluting, and makes you feel the quiet rage of injustice. Yet, through that darkness, it carries a message of hope, resilience, and change.

Career-Defining Performances

Pratik Gandhi delivers one of his finest performances as Jyotiba Phule—measured, layered, and deeply affecting. He transitions seamlessly across the decades of the character’s life, embodying both idealism and weariness with conviction. You forget the actor and only see the man—determined, vulnerable, revolutionary.

Patralekhaa is a revelation. Her portrayal of Savitribai Phule is nothing short of transformative. She’s powerful, poised, and heartbreakingly human. In one standout scene, after being threatened for teaching girls, she responds not with fear but with dignity, ending with a slap that lands like thunder, perhaps cinema’s most visceral symbol of early women’s empowerment. From her first frame to the last, she commands the screen.

Patralekhaa’s performance deserves more than awards. It deserves recognition from an industry that has yet to fully appreciate her range.

Balanced Storytelling

Ananth Mahadevan, a seasoned actor and an increasingly significant filmmaker, directs Phule with remarkable sensitivity. His earlier work, The Storyteller, was a gem—and here too, he crafts a film that is both urgent and restrained. Co-writing the screenplay with Muazzam Beg, he keeps the messaging sharp and the storytelling deeply human.

He avoids the trap of being preachy, allowing the characters and their journey to speak for themselves.

Music

The music by Rohan-Rohan (Rohan Pradhan and Rohan Gokhale) is subtle yet stirring. The songs are woven into the narrative, enhancing the mood rather than disrupting it. They stay with you, soft echoes of a story that doesn’t leave your heart even after the credits roll.

Final Verdict

Phule is not just a film, it’s a reminder of how far we’ve come, and how far we still have to go. It’s a tribute to real-life heroes whose legacy is visible in every classroom, every educated girl, and every woman who dares to dream.