To Kill a Tiger

It's a documentary on the pursuit of justice for the gang rape of a 13-year-girl in rural Jharkhand, India in 2017. It follows the efforts of Kiran's (a pseudonym) father, Ranjit, to pursue a criminal conviction of the three local teenagers who raped her, including her first cousin. The family receives considerable support from the Srijan Foundation, a non-profit NGO established in 2001 to work directly with local communities on poverty and gender justice. The Foundation appeared to facilitate the remarkable filming by Nisha Pajuja.

What is most remarkable in the film is the scenes in which village members, both male and female, try to blame the victim and the victim's family and insist that Kiran should marry one of the rapists and that the village conflict should be settled within the village. The society's honor culture insists this is the only way to remove the "stain" on Kiran's family. Ranjit appears to waver under pressure from time to time. Still, Kiran's persistence and Srijan Foundation's encouragement allow what seems to be an apparent victory, though appeals of the verdict were still outstanding in 2022.

"To Kill a Tiger" presents an important issue. I do wonder about some documentary ethics. Did the villagers give informed consent to the filming of their sometimes inflammatory statements? What was the impact of the camera's presence on what people said? The village leader's comments after the conviction seemed made-for-camera. And we don't really know the long-term impact of Kiran's family after the cameras have left. These questions nag at me despite a powerful presentation.

We've seen people lose their minds over the term 'rape culture'. Most question how there could ever be a culture where rape isn't frowned upon. 'Does anyone really think rape is okay? People just exaggerate' they say. Well, Nisha Pahuja's "To Kill a Tiger" single-handedly shuts that question down with a thoroughly documented case of an entire culture's willful obliviousness to rape.

Powerful and unrelenting in its messaging, the movie follows the case of a father seeking justice for the gang rape of his 13-year old daughter - a rather unique situation where a father in rural India is willing to stand by his daughter's search for justice, instead of marrying her off to one of her three rapists (as we're told, is custom in the village). Not only does it lay bare the mental and societal toll on the family having to fight against their own townsfolk, but it also highlights the dire need for education and societal change.

It is a movie that tackles that which we know to be obvious and drills it further into our heads as to why it needs to be obvious in contrast to the many who don't think it so. Intense, resolute and most importantly educational, "To Kill a Tiger" is a documentary that needs to be seen by as many people as possible.

According to official estimates, a woman in India is raped every 20 minutes, and roughly 90% of those incidents go unreported, despite strengthened legal protections that have been put into place. Police investigations seldom achieve much, either, especially since residents in many communities (particularly in rural areas) prefer to handle such episodes among themselves without outside official intervention, a means to avoid bringing undue attention to such troubling circumstances and the attendant shame that accompanies them. However, in 2017 in eastern India, a courageous father whose 13-year-old daughter was brutally assaulted and subsequently beaten by three men chose to pursue the matter legally in court, despite opposition from village residents, who proposed that the young girl simply marry one of the rapists to dispense with the incident. Their inspiring journey in fighting back provides the basis for this Oscar-nominated documentary from writer-director Nisha Pahuja. It effectively chronicles their pursuit of justice despite these oppressive odds, including death threats and ongoing intimidation, as well as antagonism against the film crew in documenting this often-inflammatory tale. The film sensitively depicts how this experience personally affected father, daughter and the rest of their family as they held firm in their resolve to see their way through this painful ordeal. It also outlines the many uphill challenges they faced in combatting a convoluted, inept, excessively burdened bureaucracy and a range of archaic, widely sanctioned, misogynistic social conventions. Fortunately, they had ample support from organizations and individuals helping them to make their case, an effort that resulted in a landmark judicial decision with far-reaching implications that sent shockwaves throughout the country. The story is well told, despite a slight tendency to become somewhat redundant at times in the picture's second half. That aside, though, "To Kill a Tiger" is a riveting yet disturbing release that shines an exceedingly bright light on a troubling issue, one that's raised early on in the film in a news report sound bite about this incident in which the narrator rhetorically poses the question, "Is there something innately wrong with this country?" That's a powerful observation about a potently alarming subject, one that's raised to a new level of awareness by this formidable cinematic release, currently available for streaming on Netflix.

Shocking statistics reveal that globally, 35% of women have faced sexual abuse, but only 40% seek help, and a mere 10% report to law enforcement. Moreover, 33% of women who are raped contemplate suicide. In the US, a rape occurs every 1-2 minutes, while in India, it happens every 18-20 minutes (Ref: worldpopulationreview) The alarming reality is that most cases in India go unreported, masking the country's true magnitude of sexual crimes, including acid attacks, gang rapes, and rapes of minors. Recent heinous incidents, such as the rape and murder of an 8-year-old girl by 7 men, including a priest and police officers, and the gang rape and murder of a young woman from a lower caste, leave me wondering... How did I muster the courage to watch this film and review it? The stark truth is that India faces an epidemic of unspeakable crimes! And it is about time we confront this dark reality head-on.

This film explores the issue of sexual violence in India, specifically the gang rape of a 13-year old young woman in the state of Jharkhand. The film follows the survivor's journey as she alongside her father navigates the legal system and seeks justice.

The film also delves into the societal and cultural factors that contribute to sexual violence in India. Instead of recognizing that rape is always a fault of the perpetrator, and never the result of the victim's actions or characteristics, it is appalling that how victim-blaming mentality still serves to perpetuate rape culture and further traumatizes and silences the survivors.

Simple yet powerful storytelling and poignant narrative! Tackling a delicate topic with compassion and care, the film sheds light on the heart-wrenching realities of sexual violence and its devastating impact on especially minor victims. It demands attention and action.

Watch heart-wrenching, powerful Oscar-nominated documentary from India.

After watching 'To Kill a Tiger,' I am both moved and outraged. The documentary showcases not just the bravery and persistence of Ranjit and his family in seeking justice but also casts a harsh light on the broader failings of Indian society and its political framework. It is distressing to see a community and its leaders perpetuate and condone such regressive attitudes towards sexual assault, prioritizing reputation over human dignity and justice. The film does an exemplary job of laying bare the systemic issues that allow such injustices to persist, questioning the role of societal norms and political complicity in the oppression of the vulnerable. While it is a tribute to one family's unyielding spirit, it also serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for cultural and political reforms in India. 'To Kill a Tiger' is not only a documentary; it's a call to action, challenging viewers to reflect on their own values and the societal structures that either uphold or undermine justice. Essential viewing for those who advocate for a more equitable and humane world.