I, Poppy

📽️ I, Poppy is a 2025 Indian documentary film by director Vivek Chaudhary. It explores the lives of a lower-caste family in Rajasthan: an elderly poppy farmer, Vardibai, and her activist son, Mangilal. As Mangilal protests against institutional corruption, the family faces the devastating consequences of choosing between survival and fighting for systemic change. Filmed observationally over five years, the narrative exposes the harsh realities and ethical dilemmas within India's legal opium trade. Vardibai relies on a government-issued license to cultivate opium, struggling against poverty and exploitative authorities. Meanwhile, her son Mangilal risks everything, and faces severe backlash by crusading against a corrupt Narcotics Bureau. The film captures a profound generational conflict within their household, highlighting the emotional toll that challenging systemic oppression takes on a marginalized family. 🎞️ India | 2025 | 82 mins | Hindi & Mewadi with English subtitles 🎟️Tickets & Info: indiememe.org 🐘Indie Meme is a 501(c)3 nonprofit showcasing socially relevant independent cinema from South Asia, Iran, and beyond. Supported in part by the City of Austin Cultural Arts Division.