Nagraj Manjule

Nagraj Popatrao Manjule (born 24 August 1978) is an Indian film director, actor, producer, scriptwriter, poet, screenwriter, and filmmaker. He works in Marathi cinema, and is best known for Sairat and Pistulya—the latter for which he received National Film Award in the National Film Award for Best First Non-Feature Film of a Director. He made his Hindi Cinema debut in 2022, with a film called Jhund, starring Amitabh Bachchan.

At the 61st National Film Awards, Fandry won the Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director. In 2018, Manjule published a book of poetry in Marathi titled Unhachya Katavirudhha which won the Bhairuratan Damani Sahitya Puraskar. He owns a wrestling team called 'Veer Marathwada' in Zee Maharashtra Kusti Dangal.

Manjule grew up in Jeur village in the Solapur district of Maharashtra. Baburao Manjule, who is the brother of Nagraj's father Popatrao Manjule, adopted Nagraj due to financial hardships. However, Nagraj decided early on that if he achieved anything significant, he would honor his biological father, Popatrao Manjule. Since starting his career in the film industry, he has been known by the name 'Nagraj Popatrao Manjule' in all his professional endeavors. He belongs to the traditionally-nomadic Waddar community, a Dravidian tribe.

He earned his M.A. in Marathi literature from University of Pune, followed by a master's in communication studies from New Arts, Science and Commerce College, Ahmednagar.

Manjule is strongly inspired by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, the emancipator of downtrodden and the drafting chairman of the Indian constitution. His films are deeply rooted in his own experience growing up as a Dalit in rural Maharashtra. His films have focused on the plights faced by members of these communities, including social discrimination at the hands of high-caste communities as well as the resulting economic hardships.

His first National Award-winning short film Pistulya is a reflection of his 'felt experience'. The film focuses on the desire of a Dalit boy to attend school, and his inability to do so because of his family's poverty and a deep-seated disdain for formal education within his community.

His debut feature film, Fandry, was released in February 2014; the word means "pig" in the Kaikadi language, which is a metaphor for the dehumanizing treatment of the Dalit community in rural India. This film also addresses caste discrimination. This film won the Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director.

Manjule's second film, Sairat, premiered at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival. Like Fandry and Pistulya, it deals with caste discrimination and honour killing, a practice still widespread in parts of India. Sairat also seeks to address the role of women in society, with the character of Archie (Archana Patil), the female protagonist of Sairat, garnering both popular and critical acclaim. Sairat is currently the highest grossing Marathi film of all time. In 2019, Manjule hosted Marathi Kaun Banega Crorepati. Manjule made his directorial debut in Hindi films with Jhund starring Amitabh Bachchan.