One year later...film on Delhi gang-rape victim to release on her first death anniversary

Sanjay Chhel’s take on last year’s Delhi gang-rape Kill The Rapist? may be released in December, around victim Jyoti Singh Pandey’s first death anniversary. The rape happened on December 16, she died 13 days later in Singapore.

Says producer Siddhartha Jain, “When Sanjay narrated this story to me in January, I knew I had to make it.” Sanjay’s story touches on the social, legal and moral implications of rape, seven-eight years ago, but he believes this is the right time to tell it given the daily attacks on women. Jain promises not to titillate or sensationalise. “Despite the title, the film will not show a rape. The idea is to again whip up the public anger that exploded last year, but since has been diverted by issues like corruption and inflation,” says Jain. “It’ll expose the loopholes in the system and attempt to instil fear. Most rapes happen because there is no fear of the society or the law.”

The budget is shoe-string and the film has rolled with a start-to-finish within two-week deadline. It revolves around three girls and a boy. Jain plans a four-month promotion, enlisting the support of celebrity friends, opinion leaders and online media. “We want to take the film to the people so they demand to see it.” The aggressive title could become an issue? “No, there’s a question mark at the end,” Jain points out. “We’re not making a statement, only debating the question.”