For decades, the little that we have been represented has been distorted stereotypes and external perspectives,” says Santhal filmmaker Shristy Marandi. The connection between memory and lived experience is central to cinema produced by many Adivasi filmmakers. He is among the first Adivasi filmmakers to use the camera to counter the community’s misrepresentation in the mainstream media. For the new generation of Adivasi filmmakers to run, experienced ones like Toppo had to walk. He has since won three National Film Awards for documentaries — Iron is Hot (2007), Ek Ropa Dhan (2010) and Naachi se Baanchi (2017).