‘Gulabi Gang’ is a documentary on a social movement led by a group of women committed to protecting themselves and other women against social malpractice, abusive husbands and corrupt administrators, in the villages of Bundelkhand.
‘Gulabi Gang’, is so called because of the bright pink saris they wear. The movement is led by Sampat Pai, a 45 year old illiterate village woman, who was married at 12 and became a mother at 15. Since the ‘Gulabi Gang’ gave themselves a name and attire, they have intervened in several cases of domestic abuse, prevented many child marriages and exposed government scams.
The film is my journey, the journey of the filmmaker. As a young woman who has grown up in urban India, I am keenly aware of the privileges that have been mine by virtue of birth. However, I also question my freedom wondering if a scratch on the surface of my thoughts and relationships will reveal old beliefs that I and people around me, have applied coats of unconscious polish to.
For me, this film is an act of love for women who are fighting against the odds in circumstances that I can barely even begin to imagine. Therefore, it is important that this film be, not just a work of art for my own self, but a film that communicates clearly who these women are and what they are fighting for. Only in such a case will it be a useful tool. The making of the film has been a process that has made me question many of my own ideas. This film is also a bridge between effective communication and personal expression.
