There are films we watch, and then there are films that watch over us — reminding us of who we are, and who we could be. Road To Reform is not just a film. It’s a heartbeat, a hope, and a healing touch for the broken, the forgotten, and the misunderstood.

The story of Seema and Dinkar, two souls seeking redemption after incarceration, does not ask for sympathy — it calls for empathy. And when it was screened at IIM Raipur, as part of Professor Mrunal Chavda’s visionary ‘Management Through Films’ course, it became more than a cinematic experience. It became a conversation — about resilience, dignity, and the extraordinary strength of the human spirit.

Students didn’t just see a film — they saw themselves in its reflections. They learned that true leadership is not about command, but about compassion. That every second chance given to someone is a bridge built in the heart of society. That sometimes, a film can teach what a thousand books cannot.

Professor Chavda called it “profound.”
But this wasn’t the first time Road To Reform left such an indelible mark.

Earlier, this very film was studied at India’s most prestigious institute — IIT Bombay, by some of the country’s sharpest technical minds. Professors and students alike delved into its themes, dissecting the layers of human resilience, social empathy, and emotional intelligence through a unique academic lens. In a space dominated by algorithms, innovation, and precision, this film opened up hearts, proving that no matter how technical the world becomes, the soul still craves stories of humanity.

Reflecting on this, Director Sanjeev Sharma shared: “When IIT Bombay — a temple of science and technology — opened its doors and hearts to Road To Reform, it proved to me that empathy is a universal language. No matter how brilliant the mind, it’s the heart that ultimately defines the human experience.”

It made history. The road outside Jaipur Central Jail now bears its name — Road To Reform. A symbol that redemption is possible. That no story is so dark it can’t find its dawn. That cinema, when made with purpose and heart, can move more than minds — it can move mountains.

Sanjeev Sharma — with three Limca Book of Records, the prestigious DG Commendation Roll, and a lifetime dedicated to storytelling with soul — has built a career on this belief. His earlier masterpiece, Shuddhi — A New Beginning, released on Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary, secured one month of sentence remission for every participating prisoner in Jaipur Central Jail. It didn’t just screen — it set hearts free.

Recalling that experience, Sharma said:
“When the prisoners hugged me with tears in their eyes after watching Shuddhi, I realised — cinema can be more than a mirror. It can be a window to new possibilities, even for those behind bars.”

His other acclaimed works include Shardhanjali, echoing the Honourable Prime Minister’s vision alongside Randeep Hooda, and Veergatha, narrated by Amitabh Bachchan, honouring the valour of India’s Param Vir Chakra soldiers.

Now, he embarks on yet another bold, beautiful journey — a film that reminds the world why artists matter as much as doctors, engineers, and scientists. Why storytellers, through their empathy and creativity, help societies not just survive, but evolve.

Sharma reflects: “We often forget that while science builds the body of a nation, art shapes its soul. My next film is for every artist whose silent struggles have lit up our lives in ways words can never fully capture.”

As the final credits rolled at IIM Raipur, one timeless truth stood tall:
Cinema is not just entertainment. It’s empathy made visible.

It’s a lamp in the darkness. A hand on a weary shoulder. A voice for those unheard.

Road To Reform is not a film you walk away from. It walks with you.