In this interview with Nusrat F. Jafri, we explore her much-acclaimed biographical fiction, This Land We Call Home (Penguin, 2024). The novel traces the evolution of the Bhantu caste from the 1800s to the 2000s, offering a nuanced perspective on the shifting contours of minority identity across northern India.
Jafri delves into the history of the Bhantu, a community labeled as “criminal tribe” under the British Criminal Tribes Act of 1871. She examines how the repeal of this Act in 1952, followed by the denotification of these communities, brought little respite. The replacement of the Act with the Habitual Offenders Act (1952) perpetuated systemic discrimination, continuing to single out and criminalize certain communities. Jafri critiques Indian democracy for failing to protect marginalized groups like the Bhantu—not only neglecting them but actively perpetuating systemic violence.
The novel also sheds light on the community’s encounters with both social and state-sponsored violence, emphasizing the emancipatory potential of religious conversions. Yet, Jafri presents a complex view of this process, highlighting how conversion did not always equate to liberation, particularly for women and poorer members of the community.
Drawing on her personal family history and extensive ethnographic research across northern and western India, Jafri raises a profound question for all democracies: How can democratic systems address historical prejudices and work toward creating a truly inclusive society?
Nusrat F. Jafri is an award-winning cinematographer and author. Her debut non-fiction book, This Land We Call Home (Penguin, 2024), traces her family’s century-long history through themes of caste, identity and politics – shaping modern India. Her filmography includes Kuchh Bheege Alfaz, Pilibhit, Sujata, and Chacha Vidhayak Hain Hummare. Born in Lucknow, she currently resides in Mumbai.
The interview was conducted by Anubha Anushree and Ishita Prasher. Lilit Hakobyan edited the podcast.
Glossary:
Criminal Tribes Act (1871): A series of legislations introduced by the British in colonial India to designate certain communities as criminals. At the time of independence in 1947, about 127 communities and thirteen million people were considered as “Criminals” under the Act and were subjected to intense policing and scrutiny.
De-notified Tribes (1952): These were the tribes that were originally listed under the CTA. When the CTA was repealed in 1952, these tribes came to be known as De-notified Tribes.
Habitual Offenders Act (1952): Enacted in both India and Pakistan, the HOA does not designate entire communities as criminals but draws from CTA to provision certain special laws for individuals who are considered as greater threat for society.
Bhantu Caste: Predominantly found in central and north-western India who claim to be of martial origins. Today, they are described as Schedule Caste by the state of Uttar Pradesh.
