Ask anyone, not only outside of India but also inside the nation, and everyone’s opinion is that women are not safe in India. However, how can it change and is it really possible to alter it at all?
Shristi Bakshi was shaken by this question. In search of answers, she quit her well-paying career, travelled to India, and set out to walk the length of the country from south to north. Her guiding principle is that in order to accomplish something you have never thought of before, you must do something you have never done before. And with that, her adventure starts. Along the way, she meets several women, most of them are from rural regions, and she shares their tales.
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The fact that three women who are not from rural areas have experienced violence that will make you uneasy as they talk about it on tape is even more unnerving. Although they are capable, successful ladies, they have their own wounds from combat. One of them suffered from terrible marital rape and domestic abuse; the system told her it wasn’t a big thing, and the police didn’t help; the other one survived an acid assault. The third lady is a widow who, because of her education, was able to escape persecution during her second marriage and stand on her own.
Shristi encounters a variety of individuals on her 240-day trek, which will cover 3800 miles throughout the country. To put it mildly, these stories will shock and distress you greatly. Just to put things in perspective, she meets a mother of four children, the youngest of whom was burned alive after being raped by two men when she was not yet a teenager. This woman never stops talking about how she had four girls and no male, despite her hopes being fulfilled. Does she not realise how horrifyingly her daughter was murdered? Has it gotten to the point where people talk about it without even the tiniest tremble in their voice? You’ll continue to think about these ideas long after the feature concludes.
Still, the crucial issue is: Is there any chance? Yes, if you think the documentary is credible. And the key to bringing women together throughout the country is to show them that there is hope even in the face of what appears to be unending gloom. Making people aware of their own strength and uniting to combat these heinous atrocities is another way to provide hope. Shristi convinces the audience that even the impossibly difficult will become achievable if we go out on this path, despite the fact that it appears legendary and unmovable, like a mountain. Women need to be made aware of their strength and potential, and there has to be a great deal of unlearning.
“Women Of My Billion,” which was directed by Ajitesh Sharma, may be seen on Prime Video as of May 3.
