PROVOKED - A TRUE STORY

"My culture is like my blood flowing through every vein of my body. It is the culture I was born which treats the woman like the honor of the house. In order to uphold this false honor, izzat, she is taught to endure many kinds of oppressions and pains in silence. A woman is a toy, a plaything, broken at will and stuck together at will. For ten years I lived a life of beatings and degradations and no one noticed. I came out of my husband's jail and came into jail of law. It is here, atlast, that I have found kind of, freedom."

These were the lines in movie Provoked which I feel have an ability to move everyone's heart and definitely they tell the plight of women.

Provoked means incited, especially deliberately by anger. A movie with this name attracted me and I came to know its a true story about a woman I decided to watch it. The movie was definitely not a movie. It was a moving story of many women in the world. It starred Aishwarya Rai as the main lead and hats off to her performance.

Provoked is story about Kiranjit, who is from a small town of Punjab and goes to London after her marriage with Deepak Ahluwalia.

The movie starts with a scene of a man being set on fire and he comes out of his home full of fire and screaming to death. At hospital, severely injured Deepak allegates his wife Kiranjit Ahluwalia attempting to murder him. At home, his wife Kiranjit Ahluwalia is shattered and shocked about the situation. She sits with both her children in her arms. The police come and take her away for interrogation while the children were in custody of Deepak's mother.

Kiranjit, the youngest of 9 children and so most loved has stepped out of home for the first time to London with her husband. She could not speak much english and hardly had someone she knew at London. Within the months of marriage Deepak revealed his true colours. He was a sadist and suspected his wife while he was going around with an English girl. He used to beat her up almost everyday. Despite of having two kids, he used to commit marital rapes on Kiranjit
physically and mentally torturing her. He hardly felt responsible about the family and didn't give sufficient money for family.

Yet Kiranjit could not speak of anything because as an Indian girl she had to stay with her husband however he is.

One evening Deepak and Kiranjit had a row about money. When Kiranjit raised her voice Deepak threatened to burn her face with domestic iron with which she was ironing clothes while on row. She was extremely frightened and felt severe grudge in her heart. She decided to show Deepak how bad does it feel when someone threatens and is abused. Two hours later she took some petrol from the battery and with a candle in hand she proceeded towards the bedroom. Deepak
was fast asleep when Kiranjit poured petrol on his legs. Deepak suddenly moved to see Kiranjit and accidentally the candle dropped. This lead to an unintentional murder.


Her husband was in hospital for 10 days. Kiranjit is allegated for murder attempt on her husband but a few days later her husband is dead and now she was allegated of murder. Kiranjit's lawyer puts in all her efforts to release her from jail. But she has hardly any grounds to plead. Kiranjit's lawyer persuaded her to talk about the long suffering she underwent on 10 years of her marriage life. But Kiranjit feels its a shame to speak about family matters outside. Also there were two wrong evidences from her mother-in-law and a constable made the case of her being guilty stronger. She is sentenced to life imprisonment.

But the case is still being fought by Southall Black Sisters, an organisation working for abused Asian Women at London. The coordinators of Southall Black Sisters help Kiranjit in meeting her kids at jail. At jail Kiranjit learns English from her jailmate Veronica and also he earns money. She feels happy being in jail. Veronica then requests her lawyer brother,Edward, with whom she had on off relationship, to take up Kiranjit's case. He understands the importance of Kiran's case to Veronica as she never asked him for her own appeal and hence takes up the case. Southall Black Sisters conducted a rally for bringing public support to Kiranjit Ahluwalia.

Edward then wins the case on 3 grounds. One, on the basis of long term provocation which she suffered for 10 years. Second, on the basis of Depression syndrome which provoked Kiranjit to threaten her husband. Three, on the basis of diminished responsibility for the action.Thus it was not a murder but a man slaughter.

The court released Kiranjit Ahluwalia accepting her 3 years and 4 months term as a full term. She was united with her children and now she is living happily with freedom and self respect.

The movie is directed by Jag Mundhra and it is based on the novel by Kirajit Ahluwalia named Circle of Light. Kiranjit Ahluwalia wanted her book to be translated in Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi so that everyone understands what does it mean to live in silence.

The life of Kiranjit Ahluwalia or even the worst than that are found still in many parts of world despite of the technological, social and educational developments we have made. How many of us actually stand against it? How many women are living a life just to satisfy men's ego?

Its a woman who gives love to whole family without any boundaries. She is one who sacrifices everything for her family.One should learn how to respect women. While her love can bring extreme joy to the family, her anger can destroy the same.