This Friday, an unusual movie will hit the screens.

As many as 150 people—among them students, doctors and engineers from all over Maharashtra—have pooled in money to make the full-length feature film in Hindi, Humne Jeena Seekha Liya.

Made by the Spandan Parivar Cinema Movement (SPCM) at a cost of Rs 85 lakh, this movie is arguably the second such cooperative venture in Hindi—the first one came 30 years ago when dairy farmers of Gujarat contributed Rs 2 each to make the Shyam Benegal film, Manthan.

Says Gaurav Khande, a student of Symbiosis College, Pune: “I contributed Rs 70,000 for the film. But compared to the money I put in, what I got to learn is invaluable. The film’s shoot served as a real workshop for understanding the art of film-making.”

“We are a group of 150 people. Each member gave financial contribution to make the film happen. It was like contributing for a family ceremony,” he adds.

The film, based on a Marathi novel Shaala by Milind Bokil, is about the coming of age of four friends studying in Class IX. The film will be screened first in Maharashtra, followed by Delhi and Indore, before an all-India release.

Says Milind Ukey, the director, “This is a very unique co-operative effort. Whatever profits we earn will be shared among the members. The amount will be returned to the contributor with his share of profit in it along with the interest.”

Spandan Parivar was established by Amarjeet Amle in 2000 to support youngsters from the lower strata of the society. “Through Spandan, we want to prove that for making a career in films, one does not necessarily need a godfather. We help such youngsters realise their dreams. Spandan works as a family and all of us are like farmers and cultivators of cinema,” points out Amle.

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