Gulabi Gang (Nishtha Jain, 2012)
Gulabi Gang is an award-winning portrait of violence and injustice meted out to Indian women in rural and deprived communities. The pioneering campaigning of Sampat Devi Pal who set up the ‘Pink Saris’ group to fight back against the abuse of wives, daughters, and sisters at the hands of their males relatives began when she literally took up a stick to beat a neighbour for abusing his wife. Despite the subject matter, Devi’s formidable personality, and the energy and dedication of the women in this growing women’s movement is utterly inspiring. In a year when the whole world is protesting harassment and casual discrimination, Gulabi Gang represents one element of an amazing active feminist movement. Nishtha Jain’s documentary takes an uncompromising look at the complex reasons for women’s continued subordination to men in Bundelkhand and how cultural, economic, political and social factors butt against the efforts of the Gulabi Gang to empower women. There are no black and white solutions here. But there is pink.
The film will be preceded by short film The Genesis by Chaerin Im.