Patna: Nicolas Jaoul, a French anthropologist and a scholar, visited the city on Saturday to release his documentary Sangharsh, which shines the spotlight on atrocities on the Dalit community and their resistance to casteism.

Nicolas has been a research scholar on the Ambedkarite movement in India.

The film was shot in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur, while his four-year research period stay in the country was between 1997 and 2001. Wherein three major characters - Dhaniram Panther, Akash Badal from the Chamar community and Dev Kumar Asur from the Valmiki community - resisted the political, social and economic subjugation of the lower caste members.

Nicolas said: "I have been here to make people aware of the terrible condition of Dalits in the whole country. The objective of the movie is political mobilisation of the community in Bihar. People can take inspiration from the major characters in the movie that put a strong resistance in front of society-breaking forces."

"I had 100 hours of footage. With the contribution of a well-known French editor, Jilles Volta, the movie was accomplished in 1 hour and 45 minutes. It was a totally unplanned movie and shot with my personal camera," said Nicolas.

"Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar was a miraculous leader of the downtrodden and the oppressed. However, mere application of his thoughts is not enough, the need of the time is to unite against the violence and atrocities on the Dalit community. It should also be taken into consideration by the people," he added.

The CDs of the film were distributed on the occasion. It will be specially screened in the village where it was shot.

Thereafter, it will be released in France with the name Le temps de la lutte (the time for struggle) in French and with title Strife in English language.

"The political culture in Bihar had been remarkable, people are extraordinarily aware of the socio-political events and they never compromise on their ideals," said Nicolas.