The Churning

Smita Patil’s breakthrough role in a landmark film that tells the story of a rural cooperative milk movement in Gujarat.

Now restored in 4K, The Churning is a landmark film that tells the story of a rural cooperative milk movement in Gujarat, India. It was one of Smita Patil’s earliest roles, leading to a series of collaborations with director Shyam Benegal, many of which examined feudalism, gender and the politics of mobilization. The financing was raised by 500,000 farmers who contributed two rupees each to the final budget. With powerful performances by Girish Karnad, Smita Patil, and Naseeruddin Shah, The Churning is a compelling tale of local grassroots initiatives.

"A truly great film, which manages to combine documentary-level realism, impactful drama, and a truly multileveled narrative that remains entertaining from beginning to end." - Panos Kotzathanasis, Asian Movie Pulse