Outcast Heroes

Sixty years after the official abolition of the caste system, Dalits - also known as the ‘untouchables’ - remain at the bottom of the Indian social ladder. Their claims for respect an acknowledgement of their rights are ignored by members of higher castes.
The so-called Dalits make up approximately 20 per cent of the Indian population. These ‘untouchables’ fall outside the Hindu caste system. These ‘untouchables’ fall outside the Hindu caste system. Traditionally, they perform society’s dirty and difficult jobs. Although the Indian authorities officially banned the caste system sixty years ago, there has been very little practical change in the situation of the Dalits. They still find themselves at the bottom of the social ladder. Whereas a small number of Dalits have managed to work themselves up, the majority of ‘untouchables’ have had no means of benefiting from the recent Indian economic growth. Director Ferri Ronteltap’s documentary pays attention to Dalits who demand respect for their rights. The Dalits’s new self-awareness is not at all welcomed by members of higher castes. One of the consequences is an increase in the number of violent attacks on Dalits.