Gulabi Gang (2012) is set in the badlands of Bundelkhand in central India, a place of dust, oppression, and resistance. This film follows the Gulabi Gang, an unusual group of rural women led by the energetic and charismatic Sampat Pal. They travel long distances to fight for the rights of women and Dalits. Often they encounter apathy, corruption, and even ridicule. Sometimes whole villages connive against them to protect the perpetrators of violence. While we see Gulabi Gang members struggling against gender violence and state corruption, we also see the flip side: members getting sucked in by the trappings of their newfound power. Breaking away from the deep-rooted patriarchal structure is a challenge even for the most fearless among them. The film pulls us into the center of these blazing conflicts and uncovers a complex story about the nature of power itself.
Director Nishtha Jain will join moderator Bishnupriya Ghosh (English and Global Studies, UCSB) for a post-screening discussion.