‘The Die is Caste’ is an appraisal of three decades of the Naxalite (extreme left) movement in the state of Bihar, in eastern India. It examines the role of Naxalites (i.e. Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, People’s War Group and Maoist Communist Centre) as agents of socio-political change, employing violence. Against the backdrop of Parliamentary and Legislative Assembly elections in Bihar, between 1999-2001, the film portrays the change - over 30 years - in social and political status of the Scheduled Castes (i.e. Dalits); the benefits accruing to the middle castes, engineered by the Mandal Commission and the emergence of Laloo Yadav and the consequent violent backlash from upper-caste landlord militias like the Ranvir Sena. The Die is Caste is thus an exploration of caste dynamics in Bihar and raises the question as to whether any benefit has accrued to the Scheduled Castes or, ar they mere pawns on the political chessboard.

Edited, Photographed and Directed: Ranjan Kamath Ranjan Kamath RKO Moving Media P. Ltd 704a Silver Oak Hiranandani Gardens Powai, Mumbai 400076 Tel: 9122 25704728 Mobile: 80 36944490 Fax:9122 25700741 email:rko@vsnl.com Audiography and Graphics: Ashley Rodrigues Produced by: RKO Moving Media Pvt. Ltd

L.A.C.E. and Ranjan Kamath, with facilitation from Environment Support Group, Bangalore, invite you to the screening of "The Die is Caste" on Sunday, 12 September 2004 at Suchitra Film Society, 36 - 9th Main - Banashankari II Stage, Bangalore - 560070. Tel (for directions only): 26711785 Time: 12.45 pm and 3 p.m. L.A.C.E. is an initiative for film appreciation. Read PDF file (196 Kb) with pictures and more details of the film.

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