The Hindu launches documentary examining Gandhi’s relevance to young protesters

The Hindu has released a 35-minute documentary examining the relevance of Mahatma Gandhi’s ideas to a new generation of student protesters. Gandhi for Gen Z was launched on October 2, Gandhi Jayanthi. The film looks at large student protests earlier in the year and considers how Gandhi’s methods of disciplined, non-violent action shaped the demonstrations.

The documentary opens with scenes from protests at Jantar Mantar in June and moves between archival footage of Gandhi’s life and locations including Kochrab Ashram and Sabarmati Ashram. It examines how protests triggered by a leaked examination paper grew into a broader expression of young people’s concerns about the political climate. The film says the protesters used hunger strikes and organised non-violent action despite their anger.

The documentary also explores how students placed Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar alongside each other, drawing from both figures rather than accepting an established opposition between them. Footage of police action and the protesters’ lack of retaliatory violence reinforces the film’s discussion of ahimsa.

Interviews feature historian Ramachandra Guha, Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Tushar Gandhi, Cockroach Janta Party spokesperson Saurav Das and Self-Employed Women’s Association director Mirai Chatterjee. The Hindu Group chairman N. Murali and director N.

Ram attended the release, along with editor Suresh Nambath and chief executive L.V. Navaneeth. Ram said the film presented the link between the freedom struggle and student protests authentically.

The documentary took about three months to make. It was directed by Shikha Kumari A. and edited by Naveen Kumar V., with production handled by The Hindu’s video team.