09 August,2026 09:41 AM IST | Mumbai | Garvit Bhardwaj
The Men in the Trees (2002). PIC/YOUTUBE@potatoeaterscollective
The country is undergoing a reawakening; the young are becoming politically conscious. When revolution is in the air, it is hard to know what is an authentic account of history and what isn't. Dissent though, has an art form and structure to it and isn't just chaos. Which is why documentaries are crucial - so we don't how to stand our ground.
They rewind the news cycle, providing historical context, amplifying voices that get drowned out, and examine the social and political structures that give birth to the movements we are witnessing. We give you a list of documentaries that are a must-watch right now, and the best part - they're all available to watch on YouTube for free.
As the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) captures the cultural sphere and continues to shape the nation's psyche, Lalit Vachani's documentary The Men in the Trees (2002) offers a timely exploration of its ideological reach. A continuation of his earlier short film The Boy in the Branch, which captured how young boys are indoctrinated into RSS at their headquarters in Nagpur, this film revisits the same space and documents the lives of individuals living there and their personal journeys of adopting RSS's political ideology. The Men in the Trees reveals how ideological conditioning takes root and develops over time.
Vivek, The Reason (2018). PIC/YOUTUBE@KUNAL KAMRA
This eight-part documentary Vivek, The Reason (2018) by Anand Patwardhan, documents the attempts to gain legitimacy through violent means and the resulting assassinations of journalist Gauri Lankesh, rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, and veteran Indian politician Govind Pansare. Most notably, this documentary captures the journey of the death of Rohith Vemula, recounting the series of events that finally lead to his suicide. It is an essential watch as it unapologetically showcases the bloodshed that is accompanied when silencing the voices of dissent.
Red Ant Dream (2013). PIC/YOUTUBE@POTATOEATERSCOLLECTIVE
Sanjay Kak's Red Ant Dream (2013) questions exactly whose development India's 1991 liberalisation brought. It chronicles the journey of the Maoists living in abysmal conditions in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, the indigenous adivasis fighting the corporate takeover of mining regions in the Niyamgiri hills in Odisha, along with rural protests in Punjab. It serves as a reminder of the importance of revolutionary ideas when the poor are bearing the brunt of "development".
Writing with Fire (2021). PIC/YOUTUBE@madmanfilms
The 2021 documentary by Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh, Writing with Fire, chronicles the story of India's only newspaper run entirely by Dalit women Khabar Lahariya. It follows Meera Devi as she reports on police corruption, illegal mining, and sexual violence. It serves as an inspiration, showing that meaningful change often requires engaging with the system from within.
India Untouched: Stories of a People Apart. PIC/YOUTUBE
Dr BR Ambedkar once said, "Caste is not just a division of labour; it is a division of labourers." India Untouched: Stories of a People Apart (2007) by Stalin K perfectly captures this quote. It shows the deep-rooted discrimination and the deplorable condition faced by marginalised castes in India. The film also captures the brazen inequality that exists among Indian Christians, Muslims, and Sikhs (which originally started as an anti-caste movement).
