Some films grow louder with time. Mandali grows quieter and sharper. Now streaming on OTT, the film feels less like a period reflection and more like a mirror held up to the present. The film shows how difficult, yet how important, it is to protect the ideals of Sanatan values.
Directed by Rakesh Chaturvedi, Mandali draws from Munshi Premchand’s Ramleela to explore a society where righteousness is praised on stage but punished in real life. At its centre is Purushottam Choubey, portrayed by Abhishek Duhan, a man whose faith is simple, deeply personal and increasingly out of place. Times are changing. Society is changing. But will we change our sense of dignity and values?
Puru plays Lord Laxman in Ramleela, believing the role demands humility and discipline. When his uncle Ramsevak (Vineet Kumar), the moral anchor of his life, is sidelined by those who control the performance, Puru is forced to confront a hard truth that power often hides behind tradition and devotion can be weaponised. In today’s fast-paced life, we often forget that our traditions and values are our true identity. Mandali reminds us how Ramleela artists, despite living in poverty, continue to uphold dignity and moral values.
As political influence, caste prejudice and social pressure close in, the film refuses easy victories. Rajneesh Duggall’s character embodies authority that speaks softly but controls deeply, while Aanchal Munjal’s Bunty brings emotional weight to the cost of standing by principles when survival demands surrender. From the Ramleela stage to the reality of society, this is a journey that will open your eyes.
What makes Mandali resonate today is its refusal to romanticise resistance. It shows how lonely moral courage can be and how choosing the right path often means losing comfort, belonging and love. In the name of entertainment, are we losing our values?
With its OTT release, the film finally reaches audiences in a space that allows reflection rather than reaction. Chanting Lord Ram’s name is easy, but walking on the path of Ram’s values is difficult. Mandali reflects the pain of those artists who, despite poverty and humiliation, continue to keep the divine stories of Lord Ram alive.
Produced by Prashant Kumar Gupta, Geetika Gupta and Neetu Sabarwal, Mandali now streams on Amazon Prime Video, asking a timeless question: what happens when doing the right thing costs you everything?
