Savez Chauhan

I am an independent documentary filmmaker from Garhi Daulat village,
Kandhla town, Shamli district (Uttar Pradesh), belonging to a farming family.

My early education was completed at a madrasa, followed by 10th and 12th
from National Inter College, Kandhla. Currently, I am pursuing B.Sc.
(final year) while actively working in the field of documentary filmmaking.

For the past 5 years, I have been working in collaboration with
Chalchitra Abhiyan across Western Uttar Pradesh.

During this period, I have conceptualized, shot, and edited multiple
videos and documentary works focused on ground realities and social issues,
including:
• Local Mahapanchayats
• Farmers’ movements
• Anti-CAA movement
• Challenges during the COVID-19 period
• Issues faced by workers and women

Alongside filmmaking, I have participated in several video and
filmmaking workshops and social issue discussion circles.

A key aspect of our work is enabling local communities to tell their own
stories through video. Through film screenings, documentaries, news features,
interviews, and live broadcasts, we work on awareness related to education,
social rights, health, relationships, and economic issues by engaging
directly with people on the ground.

Through Chalchitra Abhiyan, I currently work across five districts of
Western Uttar Pradesh. Although this region is economically significant
due to sugarcane farming and industrial development, it also has one of
the lowest literacy rates and gender ratios in the country, along with
a large Muslim and landless Dalit population.

My work focuses on spreading awareness among students in secondary and
higher education institutions and strengthening grassroots storytelling
as a tool for social change.