Bandit Queen
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| Bandit Queen | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover for Bandit Queen |
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| Directed by | Shekhar Kapur |
| Produced by | Bobby Bedi |
| Written by | Ranjit Kapoor (dialogue) Mala Sen |
| Starring | Seema Biswas |
| Music by | Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Roger White |
| Distributed by | Koch Vision, USA 2004 (DVD) |
| Release date(s) | September 9 1994 |
| Running time | 119 min. |
| Language | Hindi |
| IMDb profile | |
Bandit Queen is a 1994 film based upon the life of Phoolan Devi. It was directed by Shekhar Kapur and starred Seema Biswas as the title character. It was produced in conjunction with Sandeep Marwah's Marwah Film & Video Studios.
[edit] Plot
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The movie is a story about Phoolan Devi, who was sent to prison in 1983, then later released in 1994. Phoolan eventually fought and won elections and became a member of India's parliament. She was eventually killed by the relatives of one of her victims. During the filming of this movie, Phoolan Devi, herself, contested the factual accuracy and portrayal of her rape. The film-makers denied her the right to view the film before it was released. Eventually Phoolan took to the Indian High Court to allow her to view the movie before hand. Although the court ruled in her favor, the film-makers still did not furnish a copy of the movie to her.
In the caste wars that are so common in the country Phoolan, a lower caste girl was married off and repeatedly raped as a child by her husband. She leaves him and comes back to her parents village but is propositioned by the son of the village chief. Protesting leads to her victimisation by the upper castes and finally being kidnapped by gang of dacoits. Eventually she herself takes to the gun and kills many upper caste men. Considered by many critics as one of India's 20 best films, the film was in the Cannes for three years before being released in India and banned again. Eventually the ban was lifted and the film became a moderate box office success in India while internationally it had received a lot of awards and success already.
Though based on the true story of Phoolan Devi, the movie is a dramatisation. Its depictions of gang rape and forced female subserviance will shock viewers jaded by the standard Hollywood three-act structure. The performances of all the main characters are astonishing, though Seema Biswa's performance portraying Phoolan Devi is particularly poignant. This movie tears away a lot of the misconceptions about modern Indian life, and you constantly remind yourself that this story happened during the 1980s.
The movie is beautifully shot, with mainly stunning desert backdrops. The director is utterly fearless in depicting the horrors of day-to-day caste life, as well as the degradation and enforced slavery of women. The script is very abrasive with a constant barrage of swearing (sometimes humorous, sometimes not). There are several stylised scenes that are extremely effective, such as the love scene between Phoolan Devi and Vikram (the gang leader who saves her from her terrible life). The gang rape is one of the most terrible scenes ever seen on film. It is not gratuitous violence or sex, but relentless pain and suffering, and it is very unsettling.
[edit] Random Facts
There is a song by the same name by The Decemberists, an indie pop band from Portland, Oregon.
