Gulabi Gang
In Bundelkhand, India, a revolution is in the making among the poorest of the poor, as Sampat Pal and the fiery women of her Gulabi Gang empower themselves and take up the fight against gender violence, caste oppression and widespread corruption.
Bundelkhand in central India, a region notorious for its rebels-turned-armed bandits, is witnessing a new kind of rebellion with an unusual cast of characters. These are the pink sari-clad women of the Gulabi Gang, who use words as weapons – demanding their rights, submitting petitions and haranguing corrupt officials. They travel long distances by cart and tractor, bus and train, to wrest justice for women and dalits, undeterred by sneering policemen and condescending bureaucrats.
Sampat Pal, the group’s founder, is a rough-and-tough woman with a commanding personality. Despite being born into a traditional family and married off early, she has evolved her own brand of feminism and egalitarian politics. Constantly on the move, today she may be found investigating the suspicious death of a young woman, tomorrow protesting against a corrupt official.
The Gulabi Gang, with a membership of thousands, is active across many districts. Suman Singh, one of the leaders, has made it her personal mission to send a land-grabbing village chief behind bars, along with his murderous henchmen. But what’s to be done when the brother of a fellow activist carries out an “honour killing”? Husna, a longtime member, is forced to choose between family loyalties and all that their fragile movement stands for. The Gang is still very new, and many of its members still steeped in conservative values.
A whole village connives in protecting the perpetrators of violence, aided by those in power. Everywhere, the Gang encounters resistance to its notions of gender equality and efforts for social change. The film pulls us into the centre of all these blazing conflicts: we are moved by the women’s courage and determination, while their frustrations and disappointments mirror our own. As it travels with them through the dusty and desolate landscape, Gulabi Gang uncovers a complex story, disturbing yet heartening.
Technical Specifications
Year 2012
Length 107 min, 96 min, 58 min
Director Nishtha Jain
Producer Torstein Grude
Language Hindi
Production companies Piraya Film. Co-production: Raintree Films and Final Cut for Real
Production countries Norway, India, Denmark
Sales/Distribution International Sales and Norwegian distribution: Kudos Family. Festival Distribution: The Norwegian Film Institute
World Premiere IDFA 2012
IMDB https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2196638/
Awards
2012 Winner, Documentary Competition, Norwegian Short Film Festival (Golden Chair Award)
2012 Best Film, Muhr AsiaAfrica Documentary section, 9th Dubai International Film Festival, UAE
2013 Amnesty International Award, Planete+ Doc Film Festival, Warzawa, Poland
2013 Amnesty International Best Human Rights Documentary, Tri Continental Film Festival, South Africa
2014 Public Liberty and Human Rights Award, Long Documentary, Aljazeera International Documentary Film Festival, Quatar
2014 National Film Awards, India: Best Editing + Best Film on Social Issues
Festivals
2012
Norwegian Short Film Festival
Dubai International Film Festival
2013
International Women's Film Festival of Creteil
Planete+ Doc Film Festival
2014
Zurich Film Festival
International Documentary Festival Amsterdam
Society for Visual Anthropology Film Festival
2015
Equality Festival
Trento Film Festival
