Papilio Buddha

The film takes place in Meppara, a fictional Dalit settlement tucked in the Western Ghats of India. This mountain setting not only provides a backdrop for the community's struggle but also highlights the fragile environment they depend on, connecting the themes of social marginalization with ecological stakes.

The story unfolds in present-day rural India, within the Western Ghats region. This contemporary timeframe grounds the narrative in modern socio-political struggles, showing how historical caste oppression continues to affect communities today while depicting the emergence of Ambedkarism as a political movement.

The film explores how Dalits in Meppara adopt Buddhism as a tool for empowerment through Ambedkarism, using religious conversion to redefine their community identity. This shift from Hinduism to Buddhism represents both a spiritual and political transformation, fueling solidarity while creating new tensions about loyalty and belonging.

The primary conflict revolves around caste oppression and the fight for equal rights. The Dalit community faces displacement and land struggles against authorities and elites, with Gandhi's nonviolent ethos clashing against emerging radicalism as violence erupts. The film captures how justice and rights are actively contested within a stigmatized community.

The Western Ghats' pristine habitats face threats from outside interests, adding ecological degradation to the community's grievances. The film intertwines environmental destruction with political struggle, showing how land and nature underpin identity and survival for the marginalized Dalit settlement.

Shankaran is a young Dalit man and former JNU student whose insecurity and reticence clash with his father's steadfast faith. He navigates the transition from Hinduism to Ambedkarite Buddhism and forms a romantic relationship with Jack, anchoring the film's exploration of identity, love, and social upheaval during a rising political movement.

Jack is a white gay American lepidopterist who befriends Shankaran and shares his fascination with butterflies, particularly the Papilio Buddha species. His romantic involvement with Shankaran becomes central to the narrative, highlighting themes of outsider status and cross-cultural dynamics within a marginalized community.

Manjusree is a strong-minded woman who works as a rickshaw driver in a male-dominated society. She directly challenges oppression by attacking a lecherous union leader, becoming a catalyst for violence and political awakening within the Dalit community. She represents the intersection of gender and caste oppression.

Ambedkarism is a political and philosophical movement inspired by B.R. Ambedkar, advocating for Dalit rights through education, empowerment, and religious conversion to Buddhism. In the film, the community turns to this ideology as a tool for collective liberation, using it to redefine identity and fuel political action against caste oppression.

Gandhian Ram Das champions nonviolence as a strategic approach to resistance. His faith in peaceful methods serves as a counterpoint to the community's later embrace of rebellion and violence. The film depicts the tension between Gandhian nonviolence and emerging radicalism as the Dalits grow impatient with peaceful reform.

Their relationship tests communal norms and reveals fault lines of oppression within the marginalized community. It serves as a lens on personal freedom and social acceptance, demonstrating that liberation encompasses both political and intimate realms. The inclusion of queer love highlights the diversity of identities within the Dalit struggle.

The Dalit community in Meppara faces ongoing pressure from outside forces threatening their land and livelihood. These struggles amplify tensions with authorities and elites, representing the broader fight for economic justice and territorial rights that underlies the community's political awakening.