Her tale

Mona

Seemingly powerful and yet powerless is the inherent choice in the world before her! On one extreme is Ruhi Singh, a Miss India aspirant from Jaipur, on another Prachi Trivedi, a strong willed Durga Vahini member from Aurangabad; between the two girls and their contrasting worlds, Emmy nominated documentary filmmaker Nisha Pahuja tells a tale that largely brings out what you have always known and yet manages to shock and forces the viewer to initiate a dialogue for a better tomorrow.

Nisha was in Dikshant International School, Zirakpur for a screening of her much acclaimed documentary The World Before Her for students and teachers on Wednesday. The audience sat in awe as they become witness to the journey of two strong girls and their compatriots who interpret success differently and are ready to go at any length to make it there.

Painful beauty procedures, covering ones torso in a robe showing off just legs so that the pageant director could ‘judge’ them are the challenges that Ruhi faces in her race to becomes Miss India; Prachi is thankful that her father ‘let’ her live for she is a girl and welcomes the beatings to correct her behaviour, readily embracing a movement to save Hindutva, prepared to go at any lengths even if involves killing!

Is this ‘her’ choice is what Nisha questions, almost poetically taking us from one frame to another, the comparisons and contrasts coming together on the same platform. A documentary that won her 19 awards and distinctions is the result of four years of labour. “Research and shoot went on simultaneously for this one,” shares Nisha. What kept her going this long? “The very thought of all that my mother went through all these years and women at large have too not only in India but all across the world.”

As her film points out we all are ‘products,’ ‘Prachi is my product and must be perfect,’ claims her father justifying his beatings even burning her foot for lying. Nisha too credits her upbringing turning her to be a person who wants to bring the change by shifting consciousness especially through empathy.

Nisha is travelling with her documentary all across India taking it to schools, colleges and rural folks, generating talks on issues like female foeticide, gender equality and secular India. Her documentary that released in theatres last June is credited to be the most successful documentary so far, a feat that Nisha lightly brushes calling it “It’s not a lot.” She credits Anurag Kashyap for backing her film. Among the many honours that have come her way, obviously an Emmy nomination is a high and so is her very first award — Best Documentary Feature, Tribeca Film Festival 2012.

“The current social structure puts women in boundaries as much men as they have to live up a role earmarked for them,” says Nisha who interestingly has put her long term project, a series on global fundamentalisms, on hold to make another documentary on India’s ‘sons’.

“Inspired by India’s Daughter, I hit on the idea of working on India’s sons. While a woman’s voice is talked about and heard, a man’s story too must be told!

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Point to be noted

While the hall full of students and teachers watched The World Before her in pin drop silence, the thunderous applause at the end said it all. The students were not that forthcoming in verbalising their feedback, yet it seemed as if each took a message home. “The film brings out urban/rural contrast effectively. I feel lucky that I live in Tricity, can roam free and enjoy life on my terms,” says Yashika, class tenth student. Her classmate found the film informative,” It’s an inspiring story of two girls out to chase their dream and also brings in the behind the scenes reality to better prepare girls for what lies ahead. Priya loved that the film, for it focuses on letting the women choose their destiny: a career, home or her own path. While Himanshu calls it a good film for being so ‘real’.

mona@tribuenmail.com