SOME ROOTS GROW UPWARDS
the theatre of Ratan Thiyam
a film by Kavita Joshi and Malati Rao
[Documentary | India | 2002 | 52 min | Manipuri with English Subtitles]
the theatre of Ratan Thiyam
a film by Kavita Joshi and Malati Rao
[Documentary | India | 2002 | 52 min | Manipuri with English Subtitles]
What can art offer a world in turmoil? In Manipur, Ratan Thiyam’s theatre answers with silence, spectacle, and searing truth.
Set against the backdrop of a region scarred by unrest and violence, Some Roots Grow Upwards is a meditative journey into the world of one of India’s visionary theatre artists. Drawing on the rich performance practices of Manipuri culture—its music, movement, rituals and history—Thiyam creates a theatre that speaks to the present with unusual power and clarity.
This documentary offers rare access to his rehearsal spaces, performances, and personal reflections, revealing how art shaped by memory and meaning can hold space for healing and renewal. Ratan Thiyam’s stage is not an escape from the world—but a way of engaging with it, deeply and truthfully.
Best Film at the 15th UGC CEC Awards, India (films for adults category)
Technical Excellence in Sound, 15th UGC CEC Video Awards India
Citation for Film on the Arts at the 15th UGC CEC Video Awards India
Screenings at Vikalp Films for Freedom: Mumbai. Delhi. Bangalore. Chennai. Thiruvananthapuram. Kanpur 2004; Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival KIMFF 2004; KaraFest Karachi 2004; Small Films… Trichur 2004; HFF Amsterdam, 2005; India Many Faces: Antwerp 2004 & Ghent 2005 (Belgium); Oblo, Lausanne. Switzerland 2004; PSBT UNESCO Film Festival. Delhi 2003; IVFEST 2003; Crimson Feet Ahmedabad, 2003.
Special Screenings at the National School of Drama, Delhi; Kalanidhi’s Shaniwarwada Dance Festival, Pune; Fordham University, New York.
KEY CREDITS:
Directed by Kavita Joshi and Malati Rao
Cinematography: Shanker Raman
Addl. Camera: Sulekh
Sound: Girjashanker Vohra
Editing: Monica Bhasin & Supratik Roy
Produced by PSBT
