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{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Union Leader
| image = Union Leader Poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Sanjay Patel (filmmaker)|Sanjay Patel]]
| producer = Sanjay Patel
| studio = Dimlight Pictures
| distributor = PVR Vcaao
| writer = {{ubl|Sanjay Patel|John Winston Rainey}}
| starring = {{ubl|[[Rahul Bhat]]|[[Tillotama Shome]]}}
| cinematography = Nilip Deb
| editing = {{ubl|Aurelien Brentraus|Brock Roberts}}
| country = {{ubl|[[India]]|[[Canada]]}}
| language = [[Hindi]]
| released = {{ubl|24 September 2017 <small>(Canada)</small>|19 January 2018 <small>(India)</small>}}
| runtime = 105 Mins
}}

'''''Union Leader''''' is a 2017 Indian [[drama film]] directed by [[Sanjay Patel (filmmaker)|Sanjay Patel]] and starring [[Rahul Bhat]] and [[Tillotama Shome]]. The film follows the story of a chemical factory supervisor who raises the issue of worker's health and safety against an unsympathetic management.

== Plot ==
Jay Gohil (Bhat) is employed as supervisor at a [[chromium sulfate]] factory of Apollo Chemicals in Gujarat. The workers there are experiencing deteriorating health conditions; respiratory diseases and cancers and five eventually succumb to their illness, all because of the poor working conditions at the factory. Leader of their union is in cahoots with the factory management and turns a blind eye to their problems. Reluctantly Jay becomes the voice of his colleagues and demands wage hike and [[medical insurance]]. Angered by the workers' demands, factory owner decides to shut it down.

Jay's son Harsh (Tirth Sharma) believes in [[Gandhism]] and plays a key role in raising the workers' issues.

== Cast ==
* [[Rahul Bhat]] as Jay
* [[Tillotama Shome]] as Geeta
* Jayesh More as Manoj
* Samvedna Suwalka as Rita
* Jay Vithlani as Anand
* Chetan Daiya
* [[Mehul Buch]]

== Production ==
Patel had worked as [[chemical engineer]] in Gujarat before moving to Canada. He based the film on his observations of the workers in chemical factories in Gujarat. The project began under the title ''Kamdar Union'' and marked Patel's maiden attempt at making a full-length feature film.<ref name="DNA">{{cite news |last1=Chhatwani |first1=Deepali Prakash |title='Kamdar Union' to showcase worker's plight |url=http://dnasyndication.com/dna/Cinema_Entertainment/dna_english_news_and_features/‘Kamdar-Union’-to-showcase-workers’-plight/DNAHM107008 |work=[[Daily News and Analysis]] |date=12 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728075331/http://dnasyndication.com/dna/Cinema_Entertainment/dna_english_news_and_features/%E2%80%98Kamdar-Union%E2%80%99-to-showcase-workers%E2%80%99-plight/DNAHM107008 |archive-date=28 July 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="FMT">{{cite news |last1=Bird |first1=Cullen |title=Local filmmaker releasing Hindi-language feature film |url=http://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/2017/09/08/local-filmmaker-releasing-hindi-language-feature-film |work=[[Fort McMurray Today]] |date=8 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909021230/http://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/2017/09/08/local-filmmaker-releasing-hindi-language-feature-film |archive-date=9 September 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> Costumes worn by actors in the film were bought from a local market and were "age[d]" using "herbal colours and other products" in 11–12 days each.<ref name="DNA" />

The filming took place at [[Vatva]], [[Ahmedabad]] and other places in [[Gujarat]] and it was wrapped up towards the end of December 2016. Patel cast Indian actors for his film and managed the finances himself. However, the post-production work was done in [[Calgary]], Canada and the film's title was changed to ''Union Leader''.<ref name="FMT"/><ref name="Scroll">{{cite web |last1=Nathan |first1=Archana |title=Economic growth is at the cost of workers, says 'Union Leader' director Sanjay Patel |url=https://scroll.in/reel/863512/economic-growth-is-at-the-cost-of-workers-says-union-leader-director-sanjay-patel |publisher=[[Scroll.in]] |access-date=1 May 2020 |date=6 January 2018}}</ref>

==Release==
The film was released in theatres on 19 January 2018.<ref name="Scroll" /> A special screening of the film was held at the [[Suncor Energy Centre]], [[Fort McMurray]] in November 2017.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Thurton |first1=David |title=Bollywood comes to Fort McMurray with homecoming for Indo-Canadian filmmaker |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/rahul-bhat-tillotama-shome-bollywood-union-leader-1.4406217 |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |access-date=1 May 2020 |date=19 November 2017}}</ref>

==Reception==
Though critical of the film, Anna MM Vetticad in her review for [[Firstpost]] praised Bhat's performance and gave the film a 1.5/5 rating. He opined that the film's "[commitment] to its cause" was its strength and that Bhat had brought an "X factor to his performance" which exceeded the screenplay's limitations. He, however, felt that the supporting characters had not been used "effectively" which robbed the film of its "emotional stirrings".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Vetticad |first1=Anna MM |title=Union Leader movie review: Rahul Bhat, Tillotama Shome's film is simplistic but heartfelt |url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/union-leader-movie-review-rahul-bhat-tillotama-shomes-film-is-simplistic-but-heartfelt-4310511.html |publisher=[[Firstpost]] |access-date=1 May 2020 |date=19 January 2018}} {{Rating|1.5|5}}</ref> Nandini Ramnath of [[Scroll.in]] was appreciative of the film's "sympathetic portrayal of the workers", noting that the "convincing cast of supporting actors ... actually look like blue-collared representatives rather than Bollywood extras". She wrote that the remaining cast "works better" than Bhat who was "passable".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ramnath |first1=Nandini |title='Union Leader' film review: The chains slip off too easily in this labour drama |url=https://scroll.in/article/865592/union-leader-film-review-the-chains-slip-off-too-easily-in-this-labour-drama |publisher=[[Scroll.in]] |access-date=1 May 2020 |date=19 January 2018}}</ref>

Pallabi Dey Purkayastha of ''[[The Times of India]]'' gave the film a 2.5/5 rating, noting that although the film showed "pragmatism" but "crumbles towards the end because of poor execution".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Purkayastha |first1=Pallabi Dey |title=Union Leader Movie Review |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/union-leader/movie-review/62579734.cms |access-date=1 May 2020 |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=20 January 2018}} {{Rating|2.5|5}}</ref> Ravi Bule of ''[[Amar Ujala]]'' wrote that Shome did justice to her role, while rating the film 2/5.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bule |first1=Ravi |title=Film Review: बुलंदी के नारों के बीच देखिए 'यूनियन लीडर' की लाचारी |url=https://www.amarujala.com/entertainment/movie-review/rahul-bhat-tillotama-shome-starrer-union-leader-movie-review |access-date=1 May 2020 |work=[[Amar Ujala]] |date=20 January 2018 |language=hi}} {{Rating|2|5}}</ref>

==Accolades==
{| class="wikitable"
!Award
!Category
!Year
!Result
!Ref.
|-
|AMPIA ([[Rosie Awards]])
|{{Unbulleted list|Best Dramatic Feature Made for TV Movie|Best Director (Drama Over 30 Minutes)|Best Editor (Drama Over 30 Minutes)}}
|2018
|{{Nominated}}
|<ref>{{cite web |title=2018 Rosie Finalist List |url=https://ampia.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/2018-Rosie-Finalist-List.pdf |publisher=[[Rosie Awards]] |access-date=1 May 2020}}</ref>
|-
|[[St. Louis International Film Festival]]
|Best Movie
|2017
|{{Nominated}}
|<ref>{{cite web |title=Union Leader |url=https://www.cinemastlouis.org/sliff/2017/union-leader |publisher=[[St. Louis International Film Festival]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171004190201/https://www.cinemastlouis.org/sliff/2017/union-leader |archive-date=4 October 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|10th Colombia George International (Angaelica) Film Festival
|Legacy Awards — Best of Fest
|2017
|{{Won}}
|<ref>{{cite web |title=2017 Festival Angaelica @ Big Bear Lake |url=http://www.angaelica.com/festivals/history/2017festival/ |publisher=Angaelica |access-date=1 May 2020}}</ref>
|-
|17th [[Kansas International Film Festival]]
|Best Film
|2017
|{{Nominated}}
|<ref>{{cite web |title=Attend KIFF |url=https://kansasfilm.com/attend-kiff-2017/ |publisher=[[Kansas International Film Festival]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001221444/https://kansasfilm.com/attend-kiff-2017/ |archive-date=1 October 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|13th Utopia Film Festival
|Best Film
|2017
|{{Nominated}}
|<ref>{{cite web|title=Utopia Film Festival Schedule – 2017|url=http://www.utopiafilmfestival.org/uploads/1/2/2/1/12216455/utopia-film-festival-schedule-2017.pdf|publisher=Utopia Film Festival|access-date=4 October 2017}}</ref>
|-
|18th Ojai Film Festival
|Best Film
|2017
|{{Nominated}}
|<ref>{{cite web |title=Union Leader |url=http://ojaifilmfestival.com/union-leader/ |publisher=Ojai Film Festival |access-date=1 May 2020 |date=15 September 2017}}</ref>
|-
|32nd Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival
|Best Film
|2017
|{{Nominated}}
|<ref>{{cite web |title=Fliff 2017 – Union Leader |url=https://www.fliff.com/movies/fliff-2017-union-leader/ |publisher=Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171004142603/https://www.fliff.com/movies/fliff-2017-union-leader/ |archive-date=4 October 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|51st [[Hof International Film Festival]], Germany
|Emerging Director
|2017
|{{Nominated}}
|<ref>{{cite web |title=Internationale Hofer Filmtage 2017 – Programm |url=https://hofer-filmtage.com/wp-content/uploads/dokumente/51-hofer-filmtage-2017-programm.pdf |publisher=[[Hof International Film Festival]] |access-date=1 May 2020 |language=de |date=24 October 2017}}</ref>
|-
|24th CineSol Film Festival, Texas
|Best Film
|2017
|{{Nominated}}
|<ref>{{cite web |title=24th Annual Film Festival Schedule |url=https://cinesol.com/24th-annual-film-festival-schedule/ |publisher=CineSol Film Festival |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024211032/https://cinesol.com/24th-annual-film-festival-schedule/ |archive-date=24 October 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|11th Red Rock Film Festival, Utah
|Best Film
|2017
|{{Nominated}}
|<ref>{{cite web |title=Films at the Red Rock Film Festival |url=https://www.redrockfilmfestival.com/RedPages/films.html |publisher=Red Rock Film Festival |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171106184245/https://www.redrockfilmfestival.com/RedPages/films.html |archive-date=6 November 2017}}</ref>
|-
|7th Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival
|Best Feature Film
|2017
|{{Nominated}}
|<ref>{{cite web |title=VISAFF 2017 |url=https://visaff.ca/visaff-2017/ |publisher=Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025023314/https://visaff.ca/visaff-2017/ |archive-date=25 October 2017}}</ref>
|-
|[[48th International Film Festival of India]]
|Cinema of the World
|2017
|{{Nominated}}
|<ref>{{cite web |title=Official Catalogue – International Cinema – IFFI 2017 |url=https://iffigoa.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/IFFI-2017-International-Cinema-Catalogue.pdf |publisher=[[International Film Festival of India]] |access-date=1 May 2020 |page=145}}</ref>
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb title|6395306|Union Leader}}

[[Category:2010s Hindi-language films]]
[[Category:Indian drama films]]
[[Category:2018 drama films]]
[[Category:2018 films]]
[[Category:Films shot in Gujarat]]
[[Category:Canadian drama films]]
[[Category:Hindi-language drama films]]
[[Category:2010s Canadian films]]

Union Leader (film) - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article