15/06
Film screening & discussion: Ruke Na Jo [Unstoppable] (2025)
During the 2024 parliamentary elections in India, Sandeep Saurav, a young leader from the leftist CPI(ML) party emerged from the grassroots to challenge entrenched powers in the Nalanda constituency in the state of Bihar.His spirited efforts inspire hope and stand as a reminder that the contest for leadership is not merely about gaining power, but a deeper struggle - a fight for voice and to reshape the future from the margins.The screening will be followed by a discussion with the filmmaker. The film offers a rare glimpse into grass roots left politics in North India and its resilience against all odds.
Film: Ruke Na Jo [Unstoppable] (2025)
Duration: 72 minutes
Language: Hindi, Magahi and Bhojpuri with English Subtitles
The screening will be for free.
Synopsis: India, the world’s largest democracy, is holding its 2024 general elections - an event of massive global significance. With over 900 million eligible voters, the outcome will shape not just national policy but the broader geopolitical landscape. In the eastern state of Bihar, this democratic battle takes a particularly compelling form. Sandeep Saurav, a 37-year-old leader from the leftist CPI(ML) party, is leading a passionate campaign in Nalanda as part of the INDIA alliance, alongside parties like the RJD and Congress. Despite limited resources, Saurav’s campaign focuses on urgent issues such as unemployment, rising prices, and the safeguarding of democratic rights. His fight isn’t just for votes - it’s a grassroots movement against deeply entrenched political powers. Through door-to-door engagement and public outreach, Saurav exemplifies the spirit of political activism that goes beyond electoral ambition. His story highlights how election is not merely about gaining power, but a deeper struggle - a fight for voice and to reshape the future from the margins.
Ruke Na Jo (Unstoppable) is part of a series of nine documentary films - Election Diaries 2024 - produced by the Centre for Modern Indian Studies (CeMIS) at the University of Göttingen.
Filmmaker Biography: Prateek Shekhar is a filmmaker and researcher based in Delhi. His work explores political myth-making in everyday life, navigating the uneasy space between the tensions of post-truth narratives and critical thought. With a desire to look with empathy and to comprehend patterns of increasing polarization, his observational narrative style opens up conversations of the interplay of resilience and apathy. His first documentary, Chai Darbari (2019), won the Oscar-qualifying Best Short Documentary at the 12th IDSFFK, India and was screened at numerous festivals in India and abroad. His debut feature, Chardi Kala – An Ode to Resilience (2023) won Second Best Long Documentary at the 15th IDSFFK, India; Best Feature Documentary at the South Asian Film Festival Montréal 2024, Canada and the Jury Award at Film Southasia 2024, Nepal. His latest film, Ruke Na Jo (2025), follows a young grassroots leader in Bihar’s Nalanda who challenges entrenched power to assert a voice from the margins.