Cast: Aishwarya Rai, Naveen Andrews, Robbie Coltrane, Rebecca Pidgeon, Miranda Richardson, Nandita Das
Producer: Sunanda Murali Manohar
Director: Jagmohan Mundhra
Music Director: A R Rahman
Cinematography: Madhu Ambat
Filmmaker Jagmohan Mundhra’s Provoked is based on the true story of UK-based Kiranjit Ahluwalia, who killed her husband after she was tortured and was sentence to life imprisonment. The film stars Aishwarya Rai playing Kiranjit, Miranda Richardson, Naveen Andrews, Rebecca Pidgeon, Nandita Das and others.
It is a story that many women across the world go through, but they are scared to talk about it because of social pressure. But through the film it gets expressed. It cuts across all economic strata of the society.
Provoked is the story of trauma, pain and courage. The story has been set in London where Aishwarya Rai plays the Punjabi housewife and the mother of two. Deepak Ahluwalia (Naveen Andrews) plays the character of her husband. After the initial goody goody days, the man turns into a hunter who takes charge on his wife under the affect of alcohol.
Finally, the lady of the house gives up and sets her husband on fire. Charged with first-degree murder, she is sentenced to life imprisonment, where she befriends her cell-mate, a wealthy white woman Veronica Scott (Miranda Richardson), from whom she learns English.
Her cell mate is so moved by her story that she asks her step-brother Lord Edward Foster (Robbie Coltrane), a highly respected queen’s counsel to file her appeal. Her case comes to the notice of a motley group of south Asian social workers running a under funded organization called South all Black Sisters. They bring her plight to the attention of the media by organizing rallies to gather public support for her freedom.
Finally she is let free by the law of the country and this leads to the redefinition of the word ‘Provokcation’. She goes back to her family and also receives an award for her act against brutality by husbands.
When Julia Roberts does an Erin Brockovich it gets funded and Provoked got funded because Aishwarya did it. In that sense it is almost a moral responsibility that branded stars have, to take up projects that has a message once in a while.
The movie gives out a message which leaves a huge amount of impression on its viewers. The movie is bound to do well in selected regions in India.
Radiosargam Predicted Rating: 8/10
Hanumant Bhansali
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