Provoked (2006) User Reviews (22)

Aishwarya Rai .......... Not Just a Pretty Face

[BlackNarcissus · 7/10 · 3 April 2007]

I saw Provoked at a packed screening at the Tongues on Fire Film Festival in Mid-March. I must say I was pleasantly surprised how good both Ms. Rai and the film were. This may in no small way be due to the Director Jag Mundhra who should be pleased with the finished film.

Watching the film it kinda struck me that its the kind of film that seems to have gone out of fashion. An intelligent entertaining (that might be the incorrect word in view of the subject matter) issue film that doesn't patronise its audience.

This is easily Aishwarya Rai best Western/English Language film to date and could mark the start of an interesting phase in her career. Cast, to my mind against type, she plays Kiranjit Ahluwalia a battered Housewife who after years of Physical, Mental & Sexual abuse kills her husband by setting fire to him while he sleeps. Kiranjit would later be jailed for life for murder and then successfully appeal the decision and in doing so change English Criminal Law.

I must say that Aishwarya really did show there's more to her than her looks. If you've seen her other English Languauge films this is a complete step up performance wise. Especially, when you ask yourself who would you get to play an Indian Battered wife, I'm sure like me you wouldn't have cast Ms. Rai in a Million years, based on seeing "Mistress of Spices" & "Bride and Prejudice" respectively.

Aishwarya gives a really good performance, she managing to convey the fact that she (Kiranjit) is supposed to be a good wife & mother so if her husband abuses her if must be her fault. But Ms. Rai is really at her best when she has killed her husband and is in something of a daze with the whole enormity of the situation. She really manages to have you believing this is how the real Kiranjit acted.

An important subject handled intelligently, I can't recommend this film highly enough.

A Nutshell Review: Provoked

[DICK STEEL · 7/10 · 27 April 2007]

There were two reasons why I had decided to catch this film, and they are the beautiful Aishwarya Rai and composer extraordinaire A. R. Rahman. Provoked is based on the true story of Kiranjit Ahluwalia, whose autobiographical book "Circle of Light" forms the basis of this movie. However, its textbook delivery style resulted in a film that's quite plain, despite its powerful potential in examining domestic violence against women.

Rai plays the protagonist Kiranjit, a Punjabi woman instructed by culture and social norms to be the dutiful wife to Deepak Ahluwalia (Naveen Andrews), who whisks her off to London. Kiranjit doesn't know what she's in for as it's an arranged marriage, and soon enough the true colours of her spouse start to show - the drinking, the womanizing, and the verbal, physical, emotional abuses. For 10 years she tolerated and suffered, until one night she snapped and gave her husband his just desserts. We're talking about the law here, and so she gets sent to the slammer.

Then on it's split down a few paths. Along one path, iIt's like Prison on Fire, where glimpses of the harsh realities of the world inside with criminals start to harden Kiranjit to fend for herself, along with the making of new friends and "sisters". On another path, the courtroom drama which was pivotal, given that it's a landmark case which debated upon the fine definition of provocation, somehow got delivered quite blandly, no doubt because attention was drawn toward the very British courtroom with its wigs and polite legal language. And finally, the path of melodrama and flashbacks, used ad nauseam here in telling the abuse that Kiranjit had to endure.

I'm gonna be biased here to say that Aishwarya Rai's performance is probably the best thing in the movie. As in Mistress of Spice, those eyes can speak a thousand words with just a flicker, a movement, or a blink. And she can do unglam too, sans thick makeup and making prison garb fashionable. As an abused woman, you can't help but feel sorry for her, and very much root for her to get herself out of her plight, using whatever means possible. Nothing too breakthrough, but she's as effective as can be.

Unfortunately, bad acting plagued most of the supporting cast. Naveen Andrews as the husband Deepak only managed to look snarling, but is never menacing enough, and the rest seemed to have been sleepwalking, in part being let down by the lack of meat in these roles, being in true one dimensional fashion. Only Miranda Richardson's fellow jailbird and cellmate Veronica Scott offered some balance in the acting department opposite Rai.

Veteran director Jag Muhdhra seemed to have a bad outing trying to polish the film into the gem it should be, and certain scenes were badly edited that they seemed to be pasted side by side without much thought to gel them together smoothly. It seemed to have dwelled too much in the beginning, and felt hurried toward the end. It also lacked details of the rationale, and failed to pound deeper into the heart of the subject. Rather, what we got was a brief introduction and explanation of the topic, followed by a very quick, superficial resolution, leaving us wanting more. A. R. Rahman's score seemed to have disappeared into the background at times, though when it's on, you can always ensure a treat for the ears.

Perhaps that's the point, of enticing the audience to pick up the book to read first hand the plight of someone being abused, and the challenges faced in being a mother from within a cell, battling innate customs and expectations to come out from within a shell and into the open, not only to try and save oneself, but to be a beacon of hope for many others in the same boat.

Straight to the point, no frills storytelling, recommended for the curious and for those who want a launching point into a hot subject of abusive relationships.

see it to learn about atrocities that can happen to a woman

[saur-78 · 6/10 · 20 April 2007]

The movie is based on a true story which was the first reason i saw this film. Aishwarya Rai has performed well in the role of Kiran.

The story educates one of the atrocities that can happen to a woman and her fight to claim the justice that is initially denied to her cause she was ashamed to discuss the abuse that she suffered.

The movie looks like a low budget movie and the screenplay or the camera-work may not fascinate you. The movie is based on facts and stays true to its original content.

See the movie for its content and the message it wants to convey to the society.

Sensibly Conveyed

[trigger_jam · 7/10 · 7 October 2007]

What I found most compelling about this movie is the way in which the core subject matter of the husband abusing his wife was revealed to the audience. It didn't focus entirely on the actual act of abuse which is something the movie could've easily gone in the direction of. One might argue that showing the actual scenes might've garnered more sympathy for Kiranjit but I beg to differ. I think by showing glimpses of the violence and leaving much to the imagination the director has done well to extract genuine sympathy from his audience. I must also mention that Aishwarya Rai has portrayed this role earnestly and might perhaps be the peacock feather in her acting career. She was apt, didn't over or under act and perfectly exhibited the emotional trauma that Kiranjit might've actually been through. The movie was controlled realism, in it that it portrayed the story realistically but didn't go into the gory details, which I believe isn't necessary at all.

Had the potential to be a great story

[deidrarichards-1 · 21 February 2014]

Since it was based on a true story (I remember the case in the media) I really thought that the movie would have been really great. The subject matter had so much potential. Maybe it was the direction of the movie but I did not get the severity of the attacks by the husband to warrant the wife's actions. They also could have delved a little more into both the husband's the wife's character. I'm not really familiar with Aishwarya Rai's work but we've all seen Naveen Andrews in Lost and other works and I know that he is a good actor but I don't think his talents were utilized well. More could have definitely been done with this movie.

Hidden

[serjit-dha · 6/10 · 15 June 2019]

Hidden, this is the story of control, power and abuse of a woman, like so many women in Asian marriages which has been rife from the late 60's to the 80's. Poorly acted on a low budget. The point is all too clear. This should never happen and yet I have witnessed it myself.

A huge cultural issue!!!

[blrnani · 6/10 · 17 December 2018]

It was quite a revelation for me, having only seen Aishwarya Rai as a martial arts wizard in "The Lost Legion", to see her submissive downtrodden performance in this film. Tragically, this meek, submissive, totally male dominated female behaviour is still, in the 21stC, considered to be the normal and even honourable role of a dutiful wife or girlfriend in far too many 'cultures'. It needs to be pointed out to those males how pathetic their insecurity is, that they need to oppress and beat and mistreat their womenfolk in order to assert their masculinity - that is no path to gaining respect and it is shameful that so many women (especially the mothers-in-law who consider their daughters-in-law their slaves) and religious practices are willing participants in this farce. This film marks a valiant attempt to point out the absurdity. Kiranjit is increasingly mistreated by her husband, whose own failings drive him ever more to drink and other women, using money that should be paying to put food on the plates of his wife and children. He is distraut the first time he lashes out at her, is sorry for pushing her down the stairs when pregnant, but increasingly uses unregretted violence to compensate for his own inadequacy. It would've helped to have shown that the real Kiranjit had tried fleeing the home, but had been dragged back and severely beaten. It would have illustrated her sense of isolation and desperation, with noone to turn to, and shown that violence wasn't her first recourse. Indeed it appears she was only trying to burn his legs so he couldn't chase her so easily, as well as to give him a warning. But in the film he wakes and kicks the candle out of her hands as he turns, thereby igniting himself and the bed. He doesn't resist the severity of his burns. The religious and humble Kiranjit doesn't command English well enough to defend herself and the legal system conspires to ensure that a woman who sets her husband alight goes down for life. It is only in prison, inspired and assisted by the marvelous Miranda Richardson character, that Kiranjit learns English, human rights and to stand up for herself - who knew that a prison could be so inspiring (as reform seems to have been abandoned long ago for simple containment)? And help also comes from outside, led by the Nandita Das character. Between the two influences, Kiranjit's sentence is reconsidered and in the end she walks free. Furthermore, her case led to some landmark changes in British Law. And yet so much still needs to be done! Near the end of the year Me Too hit the headlines, we have young women in NZ and Costa Rica who died because men wanted to have sex with them and wouldn't take no for an answer!

lots of potential that wasn't met

[moon_shine_93 · 5/10 · 11 June 2007]

this movie had a heap of potential...that wasn't met. the story in its self is a seller but its execution was pathetic. instead of feeling sorry for kiran and considering her actions revoulutionary i walked out thinking that this movie was promoting murder over telling someone e.g. police. i feel this may have had o do with the fact that ash as pretty as she is isn't capable of getting in the skin of a character and making you feel with the character. i walked out considering kiran a weak woman when she probably wasn't in reality. kiran was a Punjabi girl and she was going to be a lawyer, she was obviously educated and intelligent so why portray her as so backward ?? only one scene really portrayed the kind of person kiran was (the scene before he threw her down the stairs) she told him what she felt. the personality of that scene should have been carried through the entire movie...but it wasn't. 5/10 purely for the story & the little effort

Jagmohan's Masterpiece with Ash at her very best !!!

[ig_ilangovan · 10/10 · 6 April 2007]

This movie based on true story grips you from the very beginning and though there are enough light moments even in Jail, it just doesn't let go anytime.... By now, everyone knows the story is that of a woman stuck in an abusive marriage finds her freedom in jail after killing her husband... Every technical aspect of the movie- editing, camera, sound, music- is real class... Ash of course lives the role and each and every frame she is a delight to watch...very expressive face and eyes used wonderfully- thanks to the director too I suppose...Nandita Das doesn't act too smart., Mirinda Richardson, both the lawyers are all excellent in their roles...even side stories in prison are very well done indeed... as the summary says it all, miss it at your own risk !!!

Movie is good/bad It does not matter..it matters how you view it with facts.

[idiefouru · 5/10 · 4 November 2007]

The first thing I noticed about the main review made by a person (with subject Awful propaganda, awfully done with an awful message) made on this movie is by mentioning that this is based on a real story and the woman should have done in a different way by calling police or leaving her husband. I can see the person is ignorant of how Indian women treat these kind of issues. A person from other country can not understand this situation, as I personally experienced this kind of situation with a woman with whom I was very close when I was a child. I have not only seen this woman, but seen several of my neighbor ladies having the same situation. It was very common thing to physically abuse/beat their wives in some rural parts of India and they still be obedient to their husband and husband's family. I understand that fact that movie is bad in narrating the story as it could not briefly depict the situation of that Indian woman. It really gets into you when you see the situation in real, I believe she did the mistake too, but most of the times, Indian women consider its their own mistake and be quiet about it. And I say its not always true for all Indian women, some are more educated and feel confident enough to find a solution to the problem and drag it onto the court. Some don't at all. One must stay in this situation and see what goes around in that culture and in those situations to accurately review a story. As another male, I stood in those situations where males were dominating with physical power over women, watching trying to find whats the solution. I could not do anything as a child,I pity on those women who are going though this situation. We being on a computer and read IMDb.com would never understand what goes on in real and in some homes.

Thought Provoking and Superbly Well-Acted!

[Sherazade · 10/10 · 18 May 2007]

This ought to silence the critics! She gave you awe-inspiring performances in: Chokher Bali, Guru, Raincoat, Kandukondain Kandukondain, Devdas, Umrao Jaan, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam just to mention a few. But if you still had your doubts about Aishwarya Rai's versatility as an actress then go watch her bring down the house in the thought provoking weep-fest known as Provoked. Add another feather to the woman's hat, she truly is a powerhouse performer finally coming into her own. Please ignore all the naysayers who have been detracting about her accent in the film, her character learnt English from a British woman, how else do you expect her to speak? I mean, come on people!

In a nutshell (most people who went to see this already knew the story) Provoked is the journey of an emotionally, psychologically and physically battered woman from the depths of despair to the glory and grace of emancipation. Rai plays Kiranjit Ahluwalia, the virginal Punjabi mail-order-bride brought to London to wed Deepak Ahluwalia(played intensely well by the up-to-par Naveen Andrews). She is quick to discover that her fears have been confirmed when her initiation into abuse begins on her wedding night. We discover (albeit in flashback) that Kiranjit was skeptical about marrying this man she neither knew nor loved but was coerced by a band of family and friends to tie the knot which she reluctantly did. It isn't long until Deepak begins cheating on her, insulting her, beating her, raping her and you just think of anything remotely and grotesquely inhumane and I'm sure Deepak Ahluwalia does it to his wife. Truly despicable!

The film itself begins with that very headlining scene I'm sure everybody shuddered to even conceive of when they first heard about the Kiranjit saga. "Asian wife sets husband ablaze while he sleeps." The camera quivers as it leads a pair of hands bearing a bucket and a lit candle in either hand walking towards an isolated room in a dimly lit house. We do not see anything of Kiranjit until she does the deed and Deepak begins to howl in horror, running Helter-Skelter eventually ending up on the front lawn where a neighbour runs out to his aid. This was the beginning of the end. Kiranjit, in a state of shock then walks over to a neighbouring stoop, in a daze sits there cuddling her two sons as she waits for the police to arrive. Provoked is very psychological, when we first meet Kiranjit, she is a woman of very little words, so the audience has to do the extra work of reading meaning into her gestures, expressions and angst. Her face implores the camera, beckoning, daring even for you put yourself in her shoes. Personally, I started crying five minutes into Provoked, and didn't stop until the very last words were spoken by Kiranjit at the end of the film. It is such a movie. Nobody should have to go through such hell.

That said, I know that the film-maker's perspective is very controversial. The case itself was very controversial. There are several nuances in the film, several things that are hinted at but not directly attacked or addressed. It definitely is pointing the finger but I'm not going to take sides. Which is why I've told many people who've asked me how the film was, that it's not for everyone. I can see how Punjabi people would be offended by many elements in the film, many aspects of it. I can see why a film like this wouldn't be #1 at the box-office. It's bawdy, it's brilliant, it's gritty, it's raw, it's realistic and most importantly it DOES NOT glamorize the story it is telling.

A series of catastrophic events(stemming from corrupt police officials, lazy barristers, evil mother-in-law and shady witnesses just to mention a few) eventually land Kiranjit in jail and it is there, in this new kind of hell that she truly is liberated. Rai plays Kiranjit to the pulp delicately enough as not to batter her. In the beginning, she barely spoke a word of English, so much so that in the flashback scenes whenever her husband spoke to her in English, she would always revert to speaking Punjabi in response. But in jail, she meets Veronica Scott(Played by the spectacular Miranda Richardson), her cell mate who becomes one of the best-friends and sort of a guardian angel who helps her find herself and achieve so much as an independent woman. Nandita Das (plays Radha Dalal) a fireball twenty-something leader of the Black sisters radicals hellbent springing Kiranjit from jail. Robbie Coltrane (Harry Potter's Hagrid) turns in a great performance as Kiranjit second barrister, Lord Edward Foster. Steve Mcfadden, Nicholas Irons and Raji James among others round out the stellar supporting cast. So many familiar faces! LOL.

Provoked is rated "R" in its American theatrical release (for strong language, nudity, strong violence and thematic elements). I rate Provoked an A+

Soul Less B Grade Caper

[mayurdeepz · 2/10 · 17 July 2007]

Okie let me come straight to the point. I have read a lot of reviews where all people have talked about is what Aishwarya Rai did in the movie. For me any modern day actress could have pulled it off as good as she did or may be even better. It is the shock value that worked for many as they did not see it coming (read Aishwarya minus the plastic glam). If I was Naveen Andrews I would have been kicking myself for doing this movie. He is way too talented and looked like doing a favour to the makers by accepting the role.

The story had all the ingredients of becoming an earth shattering revolutionary drama. What instead it ended up being is neither a documentary nor a drama. It is true that the makers wanted to stick to the truth and do justice to the book (I have not read it). While trying to achieve that they forgot what viewers were there for. There was no soul behind any scene. No character development. I could not connect to Kiranjit's pain. Art direction looked dated. Dialogues esp. in the courtroom and jail scenes sounded very amateurish.

It had possibly the worst ending with the protagonist looking straight into the camera and delivering a preachy speech. That is the last thing the enterprise needed. Overall a below average product which leaves an awkward taste that one usually gets after biting into any half baked stale food.

Awful propaganda, awfully done with an awful message

[slake09 · 1/10 · 6 August 2007]

The people behind this movie are the ones who should have been set on fire. It's that bad.

The (they claim it's all true) story of an Asian woman in Britain who set her husband on fire because he treated her badly. She eventually becomes a cause celebre because of the incident.

The movie itself is full of melodrama, from over acting to cheesy music, tear-jerking scenes of women bonding in prison, it's a real soap opera. There isn't anything original here, this was all done during the 80's with the "burning bed" movie. It's so one sided that any Asian male who buys into it is probably sleeping out in the garage, in a locked car, after carefully hiding the gasoline can. There is no attempt at all to be objective, or to point out that setting someone on fire isn't a good solution to your marital difficulties.

The problem here is the message: it's OK to set your spouse on fire if they don't treat you well. Never mind the fact that you could just leave, or turn him in to the police, or a hundred other options. This film would have you believe that it's not only OK to set him on fire, it's your moral obligation and you will be a heroine to women everywhere if you do so.

Even if you think it's a good idea to initiate spontaneous combustion of your spouse, and I grant that there may be some who could benefit from that, this movie isn't realistic at all. I'm not reaching for realism in my entertainment, but when you claim it's a true story - try for some truth. Only die hard haters of the male gender could enjoy this, and possibly not all of those. If you have any objectivity at all you'll finish by hating this movie. If you enjoy decent movies, you'll finish by hating this one. And if you have any regard for the opposite gender whatsoever, you'll hate this movie.

Not a male-bashin movie

[sm_raga · 8/10 · 18 April 2009]

I think the writer of this review missed the point.

Don't believe this was a male-bashing story at all, or one which says it's OK to oxidize your "better" half.

One of the last lines in the movie, and I quote: "Ofcourse, there never was a retrial. The courts could never find a woman who had burnt her husband to death to be innocent. So on September 25th, 1992 - they reduced her sentence to manslaughter and accepted her 3 years 4 months that she'd spent in jail as the full term." I guess this summarizes my argument against this review. No, Kiranjeet was not innocent. She lost her reason after 10 years of rape, abuse- physical and emotional - and snapped one night.

As to whether her action was "justified" - will again quote from the movie: "For a woman who suffered violence and abuse of the highest order for 10 long years and feared not only for her own life, but the life of her little children - I myself could not, would not presume to know what reasonable would be for such a woman".

The real issue here is that some men need to learn to treat women with honor. Though I will grant there were some real cheesy moments of women-to-women bonding in the prison - don't know how much of that is real.

I am a punjabi male and found this movie perfectly fine - there is no negative bias against men - unless of course, you're one of those men who think it's a good idea to iron your spouse just for the kicks. A movie well done.

nothing original!

[kate-radu · 1/10 · 24 March 2007]

Absoluetly poor interpretation of a possible great story. Once again Aishwarya Rai fails to give a performance or director fails to get out the performance from her -whichever.

Screenplay is flawed and forced. The film attempts to exploit the naiveness of Occidental audience about the subject to shake down some emotion. We are emotionally blackmailed by words like "true story" more and more in recent times. However PROVOKED fails to bring up standards of Indian Diaspora Cinema neither it is bollywood nor Hollywood.

Slickness of production can not replace the story or soul of a film.

It is real pity -the film needed a great scriptwriter & great director. It is high time Aishwarya Rai finds a soul-mate in some great filmmaker because she is talented and beautiful.

I would avoid spending any bucks on this movie... sorry.

Watch it for Ash

[darshandd · 8/10 · 11 April 2007]

They say that a film on a social issue ought to be more hard-hitting. They say this film should have been more inspiring, packed with more dialogues, and intense sequences. They say the screenplay of Provoked is a let down. Well said.

Agreed, Provoked has a few shortcomings here and there, but you walk out of the hall with one character leaving a lasting impression in your mind - Kiran, played by Ash. This is undoubtedly the best performance of the beautiful Aishwarya Rai in her career so far. The direction is also brilliant - with storyline moving at a gripping pace, and an awesome mix of hard and light sequences. Miranda Richardson who plays Kiran's cell mate is also awesome.

Don't expect a movie that'll start a revolution, or light a spark. Go and watch it for Kiran, i mean Ash.

unnecessary

[pistoncylinder · 1/10 · 8 April 2007]

Considering the section 498 of Indian Penal Code, a film like this is a very strong message to the Indian society that anyone can do anything and get away with it.

It was a very disgusting piece of film making. Exaggeration at its best, no doubt about that. All it attempts to portray is that atrocities are being committed on women. It shows the system as too biased towards women and sends a very clear message that sympathy & tears can work wonders.

My personal rating would have been -1 or 0, had there been an option.

Not worth your time, money and effort.

What did he say...?

[virindra · 2/10 · 29 May 2007]

Was this a Bollywood story in English? Where does it go with the Bollywood movies? It's not Indian anymore. This story is about a woman who gets beat up by her husband, and kills him for that. She goes into prison.

This should be a true story, but is not believable because of the worse acting and appearance of Aishwaria. Aish's acting is horrible! Besides that, the language spoken is English. But I could not understand some people because they were talking not clearly. Like the boss of the police. When he talks, even the subtitles don't understand what the guy is saying. And the dutch subtitles in Bollywood movies are very bad. I think they are translated by a computer or something.

Every time when Aishwaria Rai is saying; "I'm sorry", the subtitles say; "I'm sad". It does not make any sense. Even the English subtitles are not correct.

Okay, I cannot judge a movie by the subtitles, because in most bollywood movie the subtitles don't work proper. The way the movie is made makes women who watch the movie wonder to kill her husbands when they hit them even once.

Or when a husband shouts at his wife once, he should hide all candles and matches, otherwise he gets burnt. Like all women are victims. And so what if you kill your husband? Prison life is great! You meet a lot of female friends who will help you climb up your way to get free. Because when your husband hits you, you must not run away, no, you must kill him! Come on! Who made up this crap? And why do independent women have short hair like men? The woman who wants to fight for Aish's rights, has short hair. She is not female because she does a man's job? The should have given her role to Aishwaria and vice versa. But the other woman is not a celebrity and not pretty with short hair. That fact is in her way for fame. Yes, she cannot act, but Aishwaria cannot act either. She is only pretty like the horrible actress Priyanka Chopra.

In Bollywood there is one major thing; if you know the right people in your family, then you will become famous in movies. It doesn't matter if you can act or not.

Heartening Movie

[parimal-pimple · 10/10 · 18 October 2007]

Well when i bought the DVD and sat to see the movie I wasn't a bit aware of the fact that the movie is going to be so heart wrenching. The film has been superbly directed and the role of Kiranjeet Ahluwalia has been just perfectly played by Aishwarya. After reading about the story of Kiranjeet one will be able to understand how well the film has been set up. I would highly recommend the movie. Be read with your napkins as for the emotional junta this is going to be a weepy ride throughout. Nandita Das has also done justice to her role. Ironically the laws in UK are being amended for the sake of Indians and India still faces loads of such cases. All I can say about the movie is that it brought tears to my eyes and I'm not a weepy kinda person. kudos to Aishwarya and the director of the movie.

Dreadful

[Cedric_Catsuits · 1/10 · 3 July 2013]

Where to start with this .... ? Well the script is poor, the characters one-dimensional, the music is dreadful, and the directing and acting simply abysmal. In fact, possibly the worst acting I've ever seen in a movie, and I've seen a lot of movies.

I get the feeling the makers of this film were on a crusade, and let pursuance of that goal completely overshadow the actual film-making process.

So bad is the script and acting that I found myself unable to sympathize at all with the 'victim' of abuse, who comes across as arrogant, snobbish and immature. Hence any sympathy for the cause of battered women has been tainted.

At best it might be called 'cheesy' and there is a hint of Bollywood about it, but frankly to entrust an important story to this bunch of amateurs was a huge mistake. I suggest you don't waste your time on this film.

Eye-opener. Inspirational. Realistic. Touching

[parnildh · 10/10 · 28 April 2021]

Good acting by all. Good storytelling. Battered woman's syndrome is a real thing and this film does a good job in telling that.

A must watch.

Movies like these do great disservice to the DV awareness and cause.

[DesiBaba · 3/10 · 2 July 2009]

This movie was a very simplistic, black-or-white take on DV. I don't know the real story so my comments are based entirely on what was shown in the movie. In the movie Deepak is shown as a caring husband one moment and a violent abuser the next. No time or effort is spend in the movie to show the transformation from one to another. People don't act randomly that way. What was the root cause of change in Deepak? Generally when marriage break down to this extent it is usually due to both partners, rarely due to just one person. Also, do two wrongs make a right?? Why did she not leave her husband while all of the abuse was happening? Why not call cops after one incident (while he as sleeping drunk) or confess beating to the RN/Dr at the hospital? I mean shouldn't one attempt these before burning someone alive? Honestly, I cannot condone burning someone alive, no matter what, given that it was premeditated and caustic soda was added to the mix to "cook the meat". It is easy to sympathize with the character because she is played wonderfully by Ash, but I would sympathize with her if she acts with the ultra-vulnerable innocent puppy look like she does in the movie even if she kills the pope. Also, the Radha character was quite rude and annoying. All she did was shout out ridiculous and disgusting to Kiran's attorney and judge, like that will help their cause. She probably saw her brother-in-law in every abuser, justified or not. And the jailhouse bonding were all over dramatic. Melodrama should have no place in movie dealing with a delicate topic like this one. Other than Ash, this movie is not even worthy of one look...