Radhika, mother of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, sits in on a protest held in March last year. PIC/GETTY IMAGES

Until last month, Ramchandra PN was quite excited about screening his documentary on Rohith Vemula at the International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK). Like most independent filmmaker's seeking a platform to showcase their works, Mumbai-based Ramchandra recalls readying for the big-day, when he received a call from the festival organisers informing that his film was among two others, that had been denied a certificate by the information and broadcast ministry. When this writer reached out to the documentarian, his lawyer had just filed a writ petition at the Delhi high court against the ban. "I am not giving up," says the 51-year-old, adding, "By and large, I am fighting for the critical freedom of expression."