Matrubhoomi: A Nation Without Women

The title 'matrubhoomi' is an apt satirical name from this hard-hitting movie on female infanticide.

The movie is based on a fictional, futuristic rural area in India where there is a dearth of fairer sex. The story revolves around Kalki, one of the very few surviving young women and her ordeals in such a dysfunctional society.

Tulip Joshi has delivered a very restraint performance. Her suppressed character doesn't speak much but does have a lot to say. Joshi with her subtle facial expression has done that with total perfection. She could had ruined it easily by giving a loud shrieking/screaming act.The director is also to be given credit for it.In an era when some actress' 'Charlie Chaplin' act is winning all accolades, its unfortunate that this wonderful performance went unnoticed..The rest of the cast has also done a good job. The first time director Manish Jha has done a remarkable.He never gets carried and not allowed the movie to go loud at any instance.The innovative script is quite gripping and never goes astray. The rustic look of rural India is very realistically captured in the camera. On the negative side, one may feel that the violent developments towards the end of the movie was bit overdone but then its difficult to predict how lowly man can go under extreme conditions.

Another good point is that the extreme sexual violence is implied but not graphical.Overall a good, hard-hitting, must watch movie though certain sections of audience may not identify with the movie because of its gloomy, 'not so feel good' nature.

I just got through watching this movie and I must say it is very well made. However, I found some character flaws in the movie. For example, the lady goes through so many hard things and never questions her desire to live? why is that? And then at the end of the movie the baby is a girl...but then why does she smile and be happy about having a girl? shouldn't she have been upset? Also, doesn't this movie leave the message that women cause problems in society rather than good? Because of her occurred all the killings, riots, etc. (this is my movie critique, not my personal belief?) Please correct me if I am wrong. Anyway, I did enjoy the characters of the 5 brothers, her father was a pimp, and her father in law didn't deserve to live.

Overall a great movie worth watching with a powerful message (despite the way it is conveyed)

First of all let us ponder as to why we let this type of cinematic creations pass off without minimal considerations...why?? Its really a shame that in the ensuing cinematic race where only 'super star, sex and commercial profit' hold command, these type of 'sensitive, real' cinematic creations lag far behind in terms of due recognition (at least in sense of viewership response). In fact, I had the opportunity to watch the movie only a month ago.. 11 years after its release and certainly there would be many who are still deprived of the opportunity to watch this movie. Well, in due appreciation to the unconventionally superb cinematic treatment of a sensitive social issue, I would recommend everyone interested in viewing real cinema to have a shot at "Matrubhoomi: A Nation without Women" and enrich themselves with a sublime experience. It has no doubt turned "Bandit Queen" upside down!! Just go for it..

Matrubhoomi will move you. You might hate it, you might like it - but you cannot be indifferent to this movie. So very very away from Bollywood. I watched this with my wife in a hall in Calcutta. I had simply no expectation about the movie. It was trifling 'raw' for my wife - but it shook us to the core. Female foeticide is an alarming menace in modern India. It is not the poor states like Bihar, UP, MP , etc. who show declining juvenile ratio - but the worst cases have been reported from more prosperous states like Punjab, etc.

My accolades to the director for calling a spade a spade - he intended to produce a punch and he has done it with a style. Acting was superb - although Tulip was slightly wooden at times. The ending was on an optimistic note, too - let's hope India regains basic human sentiments regarding girl children.

I caught this movie a year ago during a special film festival screening. It will one of the movies that I will not forget anytime soon.

It came as a surprise during the opening credits that the makers of the film normally make mainstream Hindi films. But the movie contains none of your typical song-dance routine.

The movie starts by showing the Indian culture in villages where males are prized assets while women are seen as a curse. But it very wisely reverses the roles, where in a village no more women are to be found and it is only inhabited by males.

The wild search for a bride begins thereafter and one can only imagine the savage side of the male species rears its ugly head.

A must catch film. Waiting for it to be released on mainstream or on DVD.