The trailer for Mindy Kaling, Dev Patel, and Rupi Kaur’s production To Kill a Tiger is out now.
Directed and written by Nisha Pahuja, the documentary charts the emotional journey of Ranjit, a farmer in Jharkhand, who forces a social reckoning after his 13-year-old daughter is the victim of a gangrape by three young men.
After the Police made the arrest and a 14-month trial ensues, “the villagers and their leaders launch a sustained campaign to force the family to drop the charges,” per the film’s synopsis. “In India, where a rape is reported every 20 minutes and conviction rates are less than 30 percent, Ranjit’s decision to support his daughter is virtually unheard of,” it adds.
“This is a film and a story that takes place in India,” says the filmmaker, who was born in New Delhi, India, and raised in Toronto, Canada. “But the reality is what that young girl went through and the fact that her father was motivated by this tremendous love is universal, Pahuja tells a publication.
She had earlier told another publication, “Gender equity and justice within India have been central to my work over the past decade. With To Kill a Tiger, I encountered a story that simply had to be told because of the bravery, honesty, and resilience of the family at the heart of it. I’m grateful for Mindy and Dev’s belief in this film and its capacity to empower and serve as a catalyst for change while building on the work of many activists and organizations. Our mission is to ensure this family and these issues are given the platform they deserve.”
The documentary opens in select theaters on October 20 and expands wide on October 27.
