Why Yogendra Yadav is tweeting about a movie on Arvind Kejriwal

Psephologist-turned-politician Yogendra Yadav on Thursday tweeted out a message in favour of An Insignificant Man — a political documentary, which, going by the trailer, is about his estranged Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) colleague and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Usually expressive about his love for movies, Kejriwal, however, has so far curiously refrained from making any comment on the 90-minute film releasing on Friday.

“It is an honest film. It’s not about one or two individuals, but about all of us. It’s not just about AAP or Delhi, it’s about possibilities and perils of modern politics. “An Insignificant Man” releasing in theatres tomorrow. Do watch it,” Yadav tweeted on Thursday, on a day when no one from the AAP or the Delhi government attended the special premiere of the movie at a Connaught Place cinema hall.

Going by the trailer and posters, the film seemingly eulogises Arvind Kejriwal — mapping his rise from an activist to a politician. Yet the evident cold shoulder by Kejriwal and his trusted lieutenants in his party has puzzled many. That too when Yadav, whose exit from AAP was rather unceremonious, was going on to shower praises .

Party insiders said earlier promotions indicated the movie was about Arvind Kejriwal. But later they were informed it was more about Yogendra Yadav, who eventually emerged as the hero in the movie .

“The movie was supposed to be about Arvind Kejriwal. But we reliably came to know that Yogendra Yadav is the real hero. So the party has decided to stay away from sharing anything about the movie on social media,” said a party leader.

The initial reviews of the movie suggested Yadav is projected as someone who meticulously planned the strategies during the campaign that catapulted Kejriwal to his spectacular electoral success.

“That is perhaps why he is going gaga over the movie,” the leader said. No one from the party or the government attended the screening of the movie at PVR Connaught Place or in Bengalaru held on Thursday.

Yadav and Prashant Bhushan were expelled from the party in 2015 for “anti-party” activities. They later founded Swaraj Abhiyan, a political party.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court dismissed a plea seeking stay on the nationwide release of the movie, directed by Khushboo Ranka and Vinay Shukla , which the petitioner claimed was based on the life of Kejriwal.

“We have been getting mixed response on whether the documentary is about Arvind Kejriwal or Yogendra Yadav. It is not about any individual. It is just a story that we wanted to narrate,” director Ranka told HT.