To Kill a Tiger

This is a documentary about a 13 year old girl who was gang-raped by three men.

The father wants to have legal action against the rapists who live in the same village. Most in the villagers are opposed to this - and do not want to have outside investigators involved. Their solution is for the girl to marry one of the rapists and get on with her life. Such is the moral code in rural India.

The girl and her family are having none of this and get assistance from a gender rights group in India. They pursue the case and assist the family in getting legal processes against the three rapists. Eventually they do succeed, despite many obstacles in the girl's community.

This is harrowing film showing us the many road-blocks that exist in India for gender equality.

Shocking statistics reveal that globally, 35% of women have faced sexual abuse, but only 40% seek help, and a mere 10% report to law enforcement. Moreover, 33% of women who are raped contemplate suicide. In the US, a rape occurs every 1-2 minutes, while in India, it happens every 18-20 minutes (Ref: worldpopulationreview) The alarming reality is that most cases in India go unreported, masking the country's true magnitude of sexual crimes, including acid attacks, gang rapes, and rapes of minors. Recent heinous incidents, such as the rape and murder of an 8-year-old girl by 7 men, including a priest and police officers, and the gang rape and murder of a young woman from a lower caste, leave me wondering... How did I muster the courage to watch this film and review it? The stark truth is that India faces an epidemic of unspeakable crimes! And it is about time we confront this dark reality head-on.

This film explores the issue of sexual violence in India, specifically the gang rape of a 13-year old young woman in the state of Jharkhand. The film follows the survivor's journey as she alongside her father navigates the legal system and seeks justice.

The film also delves into the societal and cultural factors that contribute to sexual violence in India. Instead of recognizing that rape is always a fault of the perpetrator, and never the result of the victim's actions or characteristics, it is appalling that how victim-blaming mentality still serves to perpetuate rape culture and further traumatizes and silences the survivors.

Simple yet powerful storytelling and poignant narrative! Tackling a delicate topic with compassion and care, the film sheds light on the heart-wrenching realities of sexual violence and its devastating impact on especially minor victims. It demands attention and action.

Watch heart-wrenching, powerful Oscar-nominated documentary from India.

(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.

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.

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.