The history of cinema has often been punctuated by films that have attempted to shake viewers out of their apathy into questioning issues that demean our existence. Do these efforts on celluloid touch the conscience of its viewers? Do they stir anger, stoke indignation, disturb our placid self-absorbed minds? We cover here, a series of milestone films that have emerged out of this need – to create a better understanding of our society and its power structures. The simple need to restore dignity to all mankind.

Speak – for it is our only hope,” gently urged Charlie Chaplin in his classic film, The Great Dictator. The genius of all times was appealing to a people consumed by Hitler’s tyranny of race chauvinism. Chaplin not only immortalised the two protagonists he played in the film, (that of a Jewish barber and dictator of Tomania) but also his most memorable speech condemning racism as the mother of all evils.