Aishwarya Rai came in for praise for her role in the NRI film "Provoked"

UK, April 04,2007
Santosh Kumari

"I cried seeing the film as I re-lived every moment of it. I am impressed with Aishwarya`s acting of the role of Kiranjit and I am satisfied with the film," said 51-year-old Kiranjit, while sharing the platform with Aishwarya Rai, the director of the film Jag Mundhra and actress Nandita Das, at the court house Kempenski here last night.

Kiranjit Ahluwalia

Asked what prompted her to take up the role of Kiranjit, Aishwarya said: "This was the story needed to be told to larger audience. As Kiranjit Ahluwalia herself said it was extremely emotional journey to re-live her life. This is also the reason why the film is being dubbed in several Indian languages including Hindi, Punjabi and Tamil."

Kiranjit was presented with a cheque for 5,000 pounds and promise of a 1 per cent of the box office returns for her and the South Hall Black Sisters who had campaigned her cause

Jag Mundhra, the director of the film, said "Women from all walks of life, all colour, all races and backgrounds can relate to the story. Some have already come up to me saying they watched their own life. Without doubt this will resonate beyond Asian women to women in general." In India special screening of the film was organised for the family of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the response had been wonderful, Mundhra said.

In Cannes on Friday, May 19, 2006, Rai and Ahluwalia spoke about making the film. Rai feels that Provoked gives voice to all battered women around the world and describes the process of making of the film as “disturbing [and] exhausting because it was a very, very emotional journey but it was also a catharsis of sorts.”

Rai and Ahluwalia did not meet until filming was almost wrapped. “If you are going to get into critiquing and picking up mannerisms and literally observing her in terms of body language, I did not get the opportunity to do that," Rai says. "I had to draw a lot from within.”

Kiranjit Ahluwalia

'Of course, what's happening to me is unbelievably heartening - the support for my plight from women's groups and sisters in Britain, a book on my case and now the film... But the wounds will never heal. How can I be normal?. Asked her if she would ever consider remarriage, Kiranjit displays unexpected spunk and humour saying: 'After what I've done do you think any man would want to marry me? No man can trust me and I can't trust any man. It isn't as if I've been put off men for life, or that I think they're all bad. My brother and my brother-in-law are decent men and devoted husbands. I don't know why this had to happen to me.'

I was shocked, very surprised and I was very excited to know that Aishwarya Rai is going to play my role. I was also happy because I always wanted to raise this issue. I wanted people to be more aware about such problems.

Provoked is very much a true story and it is based on my life. It is a very nice film. Kiranjit says 'Provoked' came as a pleasant surprise. But the idea of making a film on domestic violence and about what happened to me seemed good to me. I'm glad that the film has been made. Hopefully, my story will help women like me trapped in such situations to come out and let the world know their plight.

My book 'The Circle of Light' is an autobiography and it speaks everything about my life. It is a 500 pages thick book and the film is about 2 hr 10 mins long. But Jagmohanji has tried to put in everything in this film. The film shows a lot of truth, it shows how Southhall Black Sisters (SBS) started a campaign for me, how barristers were involved in my case, other women organizations from all over England stood by me. Even smaller details like how the women groups came to court everyday etc. are also very well shown in the film.

I wasn't involved in the making of the film. Jagmohanji had already read my book. They also had lot of information about my case from the net. They knew almost everything about me so I didn't have to help.

And that makes me forget a lot of the pain I've suffered because my two sons are doing well and they're in university now. My elder son is doing Computer Networking and this is his last year. And my younger son is doing law. Hopefully, when I get retired, I'll be involved full time with this organization. But currently, whenever they need me, I go to lend my support

• NRI filmmaker Jagmohan Mundhra
  

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