This Documentary By Mihir Fadnavis Captures Pandemic's Aftermath By Showcasing Unscripted Reality

A pandemic thriller, Lords of Lockdown, revolves around a four-storyline dating back to March 2020, when the country went under lockdown. The feature-length documentary, directed by Mihir Fadnavis and produced by Anurag Kashyap and Navin Shetty, covers the immediate aftermath of the pandemic with unscripted documentation. It's a comprehensive chronicle of how India lived and breathed during the six months of lockdown through the eyes of different individuals.

The film is a sensitive portrayal of survival in the most challenging times with a shade of inspirational stories and an eye-opening account of the human condition. In 2020, when the country went into lockdown, Ruben and a team of volunteers began distributing food to migrant workers when they were heading back home. Through the NGO 'Khana Chahiye', the volunteers effortlessly worked to serve the needy, despite the challenges they faced due to the pandemic.

Ruben is one of the four heroes featured in the documentary. Along with him, the second saviour featured in this film is Washington Post journalist Rana Ayub. He extensively helped people stuck in the slum area of Dharavi, Maharashtra. The third person is Dr Aparna Hegde, who reached out to pregnant women living in slums or low-income statuses to provide them with medical assistance.

Lastly, the documentary features Inspector General, Railway Protection Force (RPF), AK Singh, whose retirement was postponed due to a pandemic-led lockdown. He helped move migrant workers back to their homes by taking aid from Indian Railways under a complicated situation.

Idea Behind Documentary

The film showcases the real-time movement of these aforementioned names. Director Mihir Fadnavis said, "As the lockdown continued, the people were stuck under complicated situations. No one discussed the issue of hunger. Ultimately, the lockdown exposed the country's endemic condition, which is 'Hunger.'

It was very much prevalent in the country, but nobody discussed it. However, the pandemic exposed the condition. When I was faced with such an extreme situation, I felt a gravity towards the subject which led to this documentary, he added.

We Can't Hate Each Other

Mihir mentioned that the rich need to come out and serve the needy in such a worsening situation. We are a nation with so many dissimilar people. Leaving that aside, we all should come together to prove we still have 'Unity in Diversity.' At this point, we can't afford to hate each other, he added. The film is a reminder of the migrant crisis and reflects the challenges they faced when walking miles on their foot amid hot, notching summer. As a people of this country, we need to remember the responsibility and should learn from what happened already in the past, Mihir added.

Also Read: Inspiring! Maharashtra Man Holds 1,800 KM Inter-State Walk To Sensitise People On Various Issues