Caste of Birth (1990)

A revealing insight into Indian society, its conflicts and the massive discrimination against the 'untouchables' , who have renamed themselves Dalits, through the excuse of reserving the privileges of the higher castes. Hindu society is divided into tiers of castes, where the 'untouchables' are deemed so low that they fall outside the social scales - outcasts. Within the Hindu notions of purity and impurity, any contact with them is polluting. In the past, they would be beaten if their shadow fell across an upper caste person. In some villages, they used to be required to wear brooms around their waists and to efface their footsteps. In spite of the attempts to introduce equality for the 'untouchables', guaranteed by the constitution, discrimination still goes on in a variety of ways, sometimes culminating in brutal murder.