Manthan

A great deal of government central planning still goes on in India, and it was a key feature of Indian life in the '60s and '70s. In this story, a young and high-principled engineer and a construction crew have been sent to a remote rural town to organize and build a milk co-op. The conservative townspeople, especially those of the untouchable caste who have the most to gain, resist progress. The engineer makes a few allies on the local scene but is ultimately driven away when the forces of conservatism and corruption join together. Still, he has inspired a few people, and there is a chance that the co-op will be built after all. One highlight of this film is the precise and highly observant way that it depicts small local and human idiosyncrasies..~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide