KarmaTube Video

The courage and tenacity and vision for something better, kinder, and more respectful for these women and the daily acts toward this change.

This is such a beautifully made film. It gave the artist in me goosebumps. I made a documentary on the Gulabi Gang 9 years ago, one of the first documentaries made on them, when I was in college. I was a student of filmmaking then, and for me the storytelling and the art of filmmaking seemed equally important, if not more, sometimes, to the lives of these women, because I had been trained that way. I felt I was helping tell their story to the world. That was true ofcourse, and I am sure it did help bring attention to them. However, when I look back now, I often question my own ethics as a filmmaker. I've seen so many journalists/filmmakers go into villages, place a camera, and try to take 'nice' shots, because they want to make a beautiful film, and it's made me look within and question my own motivations. Anyone who's ever made a film will know that in order to get beautiful shots like these, one needs a fair bit of enactment and reenactment, positioning people inside frames, making them pose, making them act. One takes 'creative license'. When I was there, Sampat asked an entire bunch of women to travel from their village to take out a procession, which I could film. It was a performance for the camera. I didn't think about it much then, but I wonder now. How important is it to be brutally honest, good cause or not? I did not pay them, they did this because they hoped that through this, a way to a better life could be paved. In coming all the way to attend this shoot, they, who were daily wage earners, were letting go of money that was anyway hard to come by. How do you convey that hope, born out of desperation, in a few nice shots? So much media has descended upon them in the last ten years, myself included. Some good has come out of it, but if our motives even start to border on the exploitative, we just create more of what is being fought against in the first place. We objectify them. And then they turn around, and refuse to shoot until paid. They call the women to stage a procession. We created that, didn't we? Champa is Sampat's daughter. Here, you feel like they are meeting for the first time. Where do you draw the line between documentary and fiction? To what purpose? Does the role of the media end here, having showcased the story to the world? And no, we are not just fire. We are also the ashes, we are also the smoke. There has been much internal politics, strife, powerplays and corruption, even here. Does that make Sampat less admirable? Not to me, but in order to come to that acceptance, I have to see her in her truth, not a glorified version of her. I've been asking these questions to myself. I still don't know the answers, but felt like sharing.

Peoplebumps.....wow, what amazing, brave, strong women!

This was a beautifully done film that shows the incredible strength of women who have banned together to stand up to established norms and male domination. How very brave these women are. Their story bears retelling as often as possible.

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Women coming together and empowering each other is powerful. My heart goes out to all the women in India. May more women be inspired to come together and create more Gulabi Gangs and make the change that needs to happen.

The strength and determination is so inspiring. The results so well deserved.

Women must stand together, we are strong, and many patriarchal societies are afraid of that. Women are worthy.... and women are strong.

The power to be found when females empower themselves to live without fetters of any kind. I add my prayers for wisdom, strength and truth to prevail as each new soul finds her way! I send peaceful, harmonious blessings to all.

Women taking back their power and solving their problems without having to depend on men

Powerful stuff! Inspirational thanks!

The colour pink personifies unconditional Love. Female affection will transform a man and society. The Pink panthers are a building block for civilisation, woman exemplifies hope for humanity !