Matrubhoomi: A Nation Without Women

I caught this movie a year ago during a special film festival screening. It will one of the movies that I will not forget anytime soon.

It came as a surprise during the opening credits that the makers of the film normally make mainstream Hindi films. But the movie contains none of your typical song-dance routine.

The movie starts by showing the Indian culture in villages where males are prized assets while women are seen as a curse. But it very wisely reverses the roles, where in a village no more women are to be found and it is only inhabited by males.

The wild search for a bride begins thereafter and one can only imagine the savage side of the male species rears its ugly head.

A must catch film. Waiting for it to be released on mainstream or on DVD.

A movie with a lesson. The movie is not just "art-lovers" movie but overall an extra-ordinary. The direction, the sequences, the acting. Everything is so refined that it does not let you move out of your seat.

Some reasons why you would not watch this movie:

1. Not a family movie (because of usage of obnoxious language and scenes which are of course required)

2. Not a "feel-good" movie(Need strong heart to watch the movie).

Reasons why you would watch this movie:

1. Feel the profoundness of India Cinema.

2. Unrivaled performances by characters.

3. Superb direction, editing, sequences and all the behind screen things.

4. Watching a complete movie.

5. Know better the consequences of decreasing sex ratio.

One of very rare films which covers such a crucial topic so effectively. The performance of each character, starting from lead actors like Sushant Singh, Sudhir Pandey, Piyush Mishra to even the 'dai' is too natural. It would not be wrong to say that it is rare to find such performances. I personally rate the performances higher than that of Black which claim to be one of the best movies of Bollywood.

Finally, I shall say a must watch movies. I am happy that this movie is going to release in 6 languages. No wonder this movie has been awarded with many international awards and ranked as Top Ten movies for the year.

A very shocking drama set in a near-future rural village in India, where due to peoples desire for a son has dis-balanced the area's sex ratio and subsequently the female population has totally perished. Movie begins with the shocking scene of a father killing a new born female child by drowning her in a tank filled with milk and praying to grant him a son next year. This very first scene explains how desperate are the village people for son, and its a customary rule there to ignore(murder) a female child at all cost. After this scene the rest of the movie depicts the aftermath of such wicked trend, and which is the issue of this movie.

I prefer not say more, you better find out yourself. However I should warn you, there are some scene/moments in the film which are quite intense for some viewers.

Rating 8/10.

The title 'matrubhoomi' is an apt satirical name from this hard-hitting movie on female infanticide.

The movie is based on a fictional, futuristic rural area in India where there is a dearth of fairer sex. The story revolves around Kalki, one of the very few surviving young women and her ordeals in such a dysfunctional society.

Tulip Joshi has delivered a very restraint performance. Her suppressed character doesn't speak much but does have a lot to say. Joshi with her subtle facial expression has done that with total perfection. She could had ruined it easily by giving a loud shrieking/screaming act.The director is also to be given credit for it.In an era when some actress' 'Charlie Chaplin' act is winning all accolades, its unfortunate that this wonderful performance went unnoticed..The rest of the cast has also done a good job. The first time director Manish Jha has done a remarkable.He never gets carried and not allowed the movie to go loud at any instance.The innovative script is quite gripping and never goes astray. The rustic look of rural India is very realistically captured in the camera. On the negative side, one may feel that the violent developments towards the end of the movie was bit overdone but then its difficult to predict how lowly man can go under extreme conditions.

Another good point is that the extreme sexual violence is implied but not graphical.Overall a good, hard-hitting, must watch movie though certain sections of audience may not identify with the movie because of its gloomy, 'not so feel good' nature.

I saw this movie 3 years ago on Motovun film festival in Croatia. This movie is cut in my memory and believe me you won't forget this movie this easy.

This movie was competition Amnesty International movie award for movies which theme was human rights and encourage protection of human rights.

According to recent UNESCO report, in population of India in some 50 million women short,due to gender discrimination. The film is set in future, village of Matrubhoomi, where due to rampant female infanticide( killing of all female babies), women are practically extinct.

Story is about a father and his five sons are frustrated because they are not able to find a bride.When A family priest finds a beautiful girl in faraway village.Her father is happy to sell her.She is taken to Matrubi,where she is married to the five brothers,all five of whom,including father, exercise their conjugal rights in turn.

Movie is one of the saddest movie I ever saw.It's so brutal,so real and very shocking.I highly recommend this movie.