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.

(2022) To Kill A Tiger (In Bengali with English subtitles) DOCUMENTARY

I've seen brief descriptions about the protests that occurred as a result of assaults that were happening all over India on news stations and so forth, but this documentary provides the full gist of the event that triggered it! On April 9, 2017 three young men, Kapil Munda, Iswar Munda and Lungru Munda of a single village gang raped a 13 year old underage girl, Kiran. Because the village itself was "impoverished"- impoverished in terms of uneducated, the custom that used to happen if a young girl was raped is the perfect example of 'victim blaming' that she was bringing shame to her family, and that both the daughter and her father be been blamed for allowing the rape to happen in the first place. In the old ways, the way impoverished villagers used to handle it if a young lady were to be assaulted or raped, is that that victim herself would have to be married away to her rapist, since she would either be defined as marked by that person or that she was chosen (whatever that means). "Let us villagers handle this!" many of the them have said, "Why invite outsiders or city police authorities into our problems!". This is the old type of thinking mentality this small village of Bero, Jharkhand have reacted. As a matter of fact, majority of the victim's neighbors felt so threatened by this kind of exposure that both the father, Ranjit; the mother, Jaganti, and their 13 year old daughter, Karim lives were eventually threatened when actual charges were brought to the perpetrators. The villagers then attempt to discourage the film maker, Nisha Pahujato by means of threats, all she wanted to do was document the entire course of events, showcasing the toll and peer pressure that occurred if the father pursued charges in the city. So much so, Nisha Pahuja was unable to film in the very village that it happened anymore as she had to consider first her personal safety. Ranjit's daughter, Karim herself even had to stay and live with the lady who was documenting her, which was how loud the uproar became. It had pointed toward the end how many unreported assaults that happen in India, part of the reason why this documentary is so important.

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.

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.

This documentary is so amazing and shows the reality of what's it like to be a victim and survivor of sexual violence. India needs to have a change in the way they think about victims and survivors of sexual violence. To blame a young child for what happened to her is disgusting and appaling. Men need to change. Men need to change everywhere but the sad thing is they won't and never will. They are disgusting and vile and need to be stopped. I am so proud of the the young girl in this documentary. She is so brave and courageous. I hope safety and and protection for her and her family. I hope she has a bright future.