Gaon Chhodab Nahin / We Will Not Leave Our Village

Gaon Chhodab Nahin / We Will Not Leave Our Village directed by K. P. Sasi

Inspired by a song by Bhaghwan Maaji, Leader of the adivasi struggle against bauxite mining in Kashipur.

Lyrics: Meghnath. Singer: Madhu Mansuri Hasmukh. Chorus: Jayanth and Amruta

Inspired by a tribal song, this energetic upbeat film is a clarion call to tribals to hold on to all that belongs to them. It urges indigenous communities to unite and fight for forests, rivers and villages where they have been living peacefully for centuries.

Lively yet sarcastic, the film underlines the great role of tribals in sustaining the greenery of Earth even as ‘development’ is leading to large scale pollution.

It also critiques the nexus between big businesses and political leaders that robs tribals of their land, food and livelihoods. As the song goes, a collective struggle indeed is the only way out.