SYNOPSIS
ANATOMY OF VIOLENCE MIXES FICTION AND FACT IN AN IMPROVISED
EXPLORATION OF THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO, AND FOLLOWING, THE NOTORIOUS GANG RAPE OF A YOUNG WOMAN BY SIX MEN IN A MOVING BUS IN NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 16, 2012.
TWELVE ACTORS COLLABORATED WITH FILMMAKER DEEPA MEHTA TO IMAGINE
WHAT MIGHT HAVE DRIVEN THESE MEN TOWARDS SUCH A SAVAGE ASSAULT. THE FILM ALSO IMAGINES THE NATURE OF A YOUNG WOMAN'S LIFE, HER FAMILY, HER FRIENDS AND HER HOPES AND DREAMS BEFORE THE FATAL ATTACK.
“WHAT MAKES MONSTERS?” IS A QUESTION THAT THIS FILM STARES DIRECTLY AT. IT PROBES AND EXPLORES WHERE THESE YOUNG MEN COULD HAVE COME FROM AND WHAT MIGHT HAVE MOTIVATED THEM. THEY HAVE BEEN CALLED “MONSTERS” BUT IS THIS A SIMPLISTIC LABELLING THAT RELIEVES SOCIETY AND LEADERS FROM THE RESPONSIBILITY OF LOOKING MORE DEEPLY?
THE FILM OFFERS NO CLEAR ANSWERS BUT OPENS DOORS OF INQUIRY WHICH MAY STIMULATE FURTHER EXAMINATION INTO THE ROOT CAUSES AND COMPLEXITY OF THIS PARTICULAR AND ALL TOO PERVASIVE BRUTALITY AGAINST WOMEN.
CREATING THE FILM
FILMMAKER DEEPA MEHTA AND THEATRE DIRECTOR NEELAM MANSINGH
CHOWDHRY FASHIONED A WORKSHOP IN A THEATRE STUDIO IN INDIA WHERE THE ACTORS IMPROVISED SCENARIOS ABOUT THE POSSIBLE LIVES OF THE RAPISTS - FROM CHILDHOOD TO “POINT ZERO”, AND AFTERWARDS.
IT QUICKLY BECAME APPARENT THAT FOR THIS WORK TO FULLY COME ALIVE IT NEEDED TO GET OUT INTO THE STREETS AND INTO REAL LOCATIONS. WITH A TINY CREW, FOUND PROPS AND WARDROBE, AND INTERACTION WITH PEOPLE ON THE STREET, THE RAW, EMOTIONALLY WRENCHING SCENES WERE CREATED AND SHOT AS THE ACTORS EXPLORED THE POSSIBLE SITUATIONS OF THE RAPISTS, AND OF THE VICTIM.
THE ACTORS RANGE FROM WELL KNOWN FILM ACTORS (THE GREAT SEEMA BISWAS), TO EXPERIENCED THEATRE ACTORS, TO THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER ACTED BEFORE, MOST ESPECIALLY JANKI BISHT. AS WELL AS PLAYING THEMSELVES AS CHILDREN SOME OF THE ACTORS PLAY MORE THAN ONE ROLE.
THE FINAL FILM IS A HYBRID OF IMPROVISED SCENES AND SOME FACTUAL FOOTAGE …A COMBINATION WHICH GETS THE AUDIENCE UP CLOSE TO ALL ASPECTS OF THIS TRAGEDY.
AFTERMATH
THE YOUNG WOMAN LIVED FOR TWO WEEKS AFTER THE ATTACK. SHE DIED ON DECEMBER 29TH 2012 OF INTERNAL INJURIES CAUSED BY THE BRUTALITY OF THE RAPE.
HER MALE FRIEND SURVIVED AND WAS THE LEAD WITNESS DURING THE TRIAL.
THE 6 RAPISTS WERE ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT AND MURDER.
ONE OF THE ACCUSED COMMITTED SUICIDE IN JAIL DURING THE TRIAL PERIOD.
FOUR WERE CONVICTED AND SENTENCED TO DEATH BY HANGING.
THE JUVENILE WAS CONVICTED AND RELEASED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE JUVENILE JUSTICE ACT OF 2000 IN DECEMBER 2015.
DESPITE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE SEXUAL ASSAULT LAWS FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC OUTRAGE ABOUT THIS GANG RAPE, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CRIME RECORDS BUREAU, THE NUMBER OF REPORTED RAPE CASES ACROSS INDIA DOUBLED BETWEEN 2012 AND 2014.
DIRECTOR'S NOTES
I WAS IN NEW DELHI IN 2012, WHEN A YOUNG GIRL WAS GANG RAPED IN A MOVING BUS ON THE MAIN ROADS OF THE CAPITAL CITY. SO BRUTAL WAS THE RAPE THAT IT SHOCKED THE WHOLE NATION AND JOLTED IT INTO ACTION. STUDENTS TOOK TO THE STREETS AS DID MEN AND WOMEN FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, PROTESTING THE ARCHAIC RAPE LAWS IN THE COUNTRY, THE LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE PERPETRATORS, THE GENERAL APATHY OF THE POLICE AND THE GOVERNMENT AND THE RISING CRIME RATE AGAINST GIRLS AND WOMEN - A RATE THAT HAD EARNED DELHI THE DUBIOUS TITLE OF 'THE RAPE CAPITAL OF INDIA'.
THE YOUNG GIRL’S ASSAULT, BY SIX MALES WHO WERE ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OTHER, WAS SO SAVAGE AND INHUMANE THAT IT RESULTED IN HER DEATH. THE PUBLIC OUTCRY GALVANIZED THE APATHETIC JUDICIAL SYSTEM. THE MEN WERE APPREHENDED, TRIED AND CONVICTED AND SENTENCED TO DEATH BY HANGING. ONE OF THEM COMMITTED SUICIDE WHILE IN PRISON. A JUVENILE AMONGST THEM WAS SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS WHILE THE OTHER FOUR STILL AWAIT THE RESULTS OF AN APPEAL IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA.
THE LIFE OF THE YOUNG GIRL, HER DREAMS, HER FAMILY, HER CHILDHOOD, HER INTERESTS AND HER AMBITIONS WERE COVERED IN GREAT DETAIL BY BOTH THE INDIAN AND THE INTERNATIONAL PRESS. HER STRENGTH, HER DESIRE FOR JUSTICE, HER WILL TO SURVIVE DESPITE THE SAVAGE VIOLATION IS STUFF THAT LEGENDS ARE MADE OF. AS ITS ILLEGAL TO NAME RAPE VICTIMS IN INDIA, THE YOUNG WOMAN WAS DUBBED NIRBHAYA (THE FEARLESS ONE), INDIA'S DAUGHTER, AND DAMINI (LIGHTNING).
WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE SIX RAPISTS WAS IN COMPARISON, PERFUNCTORY. THEIR CHILDHOOD, THEIR FORMATIVE YEARS, AND HOW THEY SPENT THEIR TIME AS ADULTS IS SHROUDED UNDER THE TWILIGHT ZONE OF EXTREME POVERTY AND THE DEGRADATION ASSOCIATED WITH IT. TV COVERAGE TOOK THE APPALLED VIEWERS INTO THEIR VILLAGES, INTO THEIR ROOMS IN SPRAWLING DELHI SLUMS AND WE MET THEIR BEREFT MOTHERS, A YOUNG WIFE WITH A BABY, AND PARENTS - ALL OF WHOM WERE IN DIFFERENT STAGES OF DENIAL. WE GOT ACQUAINTED WITH THE PORN THEY WATCHED, THE FOOD THEY ATE AND THE SQUALOR THEY LIVED IN. THEIR NARROW, HOPELESS LIVES WERE IN SHARP CONTRAST TO THE YOUNG WOMAN'S LIFE. A LIFE THAT WAS FILLED WITH HOPE, A LIFE WHICH WAS THE RESULT OF IMMENSE SACRIFICE BY HER PARENTS AND THE FAMILY'S COLLECTIVE HARD WORK. THE DEMARCATIONS WERE OBVIOUS. EVIL VERSUS GOOD. DARKNESS VERSUS LIGHT. DESPAIR VERSUS HOPE.
I BECAME CURIOUS ABOUT THE RAPISTS. AND FELT (NO ROCKET SCIENCE HERE) THAT PERHAPS EXPLORING THEIR LIVES WOULD GIVE ME A CLUE ABOUT THE RAGE, CRUELTY AND VICIOUSNESS THEY EXHIBITED TOWARDS THEIR VICTIM AND THE UTTER LACK OF REMORSE THEY DISPLAYED AFTER BEING APPREHENDED.
WHAT IF I MADE A FILM FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE RAPISTS I THOUGHT? THE IDEA INTRIGUED ME ENOUGH TO GET EXTENSIVE RESEARCH DONE ON THE LIVES OF THE SIX PERPETRATORS. THOUGH THE RESEARCH OFFERED INTERESTING GLIMPSES INTO WHERE THEY GREW UP, AND WHAT THEY DID, LARGE CHUNKS OF THEIR PERSONAL JOURNEY WAS JUST NOT AVAILABLE. AND OF COURSE WITH 5 OF THEM BEING BEHIND BARS, ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO OBTAIN. THOUGH LESLEE UDWIN PULLED THIS OFF IN HER DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE SAME SUBJECT WITH GREAT INGENUITY, WE SADLY HAD CLOSE TO ZERO BUDGET TO GET THE COOPERATION OF THE CONVICTED RAPISTS TO DO AN INTERVIEW LET ALONE THE CLOUT TO EVEN GET INTO TIHAR JAIL TO MEET ANY ONE OF THEM.
THIS IS WHERE TRUMAN CAPOTE AND HIS BRILLIANT IN COLD BLOOD CAME IN. IN COLD BLOOD IS A FICTIONALIZATION OF A TRUE CRIME DRAMA THAT DETAILS THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE MURDER OF THE CLUTTER FAMILY. CAPOTE TAKES US INTO THE MINDS OF THE KILLERS AND HOW THEY MET, PLANNED THE CRIME AND WHAT THEY DID AFTER THE EVENT. THOUGH CAPOTE HAD SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS INTERVIEWING THE MURDERERS THERE IS SPECULATION THAT THERE ARE WHOLE AREAS IN THE REPORTAGE THAT ARE FICTION. REGARDLESS IT'S CAPOTE’S MASTERFUL RECOUNTING OF THE INCIDENT THAT STUCK IN MY MIND. WITH EMPATHY FOR THE VICTIMS AND THEIR COMMUNITY AND SURPRISINGLY SOME KIND OF AN UNDERSTANDING (NOT CONDONING) OF THE TWISTED WAY IN WHICH THE LIVES OF THE MURDERERS HAD EVOLVED TO BE OF UTTERLY NO HUMAN VALUE GAVE ME A CLUE ON WHAT I WANTED TO DO NEXT. THE MARRIAGE OF FACT AND FICTION IN THE FILM ANATOMY OF VIOLENCE.
DIRECTOR’S BIOGRAPHY
DEEPA MEHTA IS AN OSCAR-NOMINATED FILMMAKER WHOSE WORK IS CELEBRATED ON AN INTERNATIONAL SCALE. HER EMOTIONALLY RESONATING, AWARD-WINNING FILMS HAVE PLAYED EVERY MAJOR FILM FESTIVAL, AND BEEN SOLD AND DISTRIBUTED AROUND THE GLOBE. SHE IS BEST KNOWN FOR HER ELEMENTAL TRILOGY: EARTH, FIRE, WATER, THE FINAL FILM OF WHICH RECEIVED AN OSCAR NOMINATION FOR BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM. OTHER FILMS INCLUDE, BOLLYWOOD/HOLLYWOOD, HEAVEN ON EARTH, AND THE EPIC ADAPTATION OF MIDNIGHT’S CHILDREN - SALMAN RUSHDIE’S THREE-TIME BOOKER PRIZE WINNING NOVEL. HER WORK CHALLENGES TRADITIONS AND STEREOTYPES AND IS ALWAYS DARING, FEARLESS AND PROVOCATIVE. IT’S THIS SPIRIT THAT SATURATED HER LAST FILM, BEEBA BOYS, AND NOW HER LATEST WORK, ANATOMY OF VIOLENCE.
PRODUCER’S BIOGRAPHY
FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS DAVID HAMILTON HAS PRODUCED DEEPA MEHTA’S FILMS, INCLUDING THE OSCAR NOMINATED WATER. HE HAS ALSO PRODUCED THE FEATURE DOCUMENTARY THE FORGOTTEN WOMAN AND THE COMEDY COOKING WITH STELLA, BOTH DIRECTED BY DILIP MEHTA. HE EXECUTIVE PRODUCED LUNCH WITH CHARLES, A HONG KONG-CANADIAN CO-PRODUCTION STARRING SEAN LAU AND BIF NAKED. ANATOMY OF VIOLENCE IS DAVID’S EIGHTH FILM COLLABORATION WITH DEEPA. HIS PASSIONS EARLY IN LIFE WERE GYMNASTICS, THEATRE AND TIGHT ROPE WALKING. AFTER COMPLETING HIS UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES AT MCGILL, DAVID WENT ONTO HARVARD FOR A MASTERS DEGREE WHERE HE WROTE A BOOK ON DECISION THEORY PUBLISHED BY MIT PRESS. A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THE ARTS, DAVID WAS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE OTTAWA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, THE SCHOOL OF DANCE, AND WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL WRITERS FESTIVAL.
WORKSHOP DIRECTOR’S BIOGRAPHY
NEELAM MANSINGH CHOWDHRY IS A RENOWNED THEATRE DIRECTOR BASED IN CHANDIGARH IN INDIA AND THE FOUNDER OF THE COMPANY. SHE HAS BEEN TEACHING AT THE DEPARTMENT OF INDIAN THEATRE SINCE 1990 AND WAS AWARDED WITH THE TITLE PROFESSOR EMERITUS IN 2015. HER PLAYS HAVE BEEN PERFORMED AND CELEBRATED AROUND THE WORLD. SHE HAS BEEN AWARDED WITH THE SANGEET NATAK AKADEMI AWARD IN 2002 AND PADMA SHRI AWARD FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA IN 2011.
CAST BIOGRAPHIES
THE ACTORS WHO PLAY THE SIX RAPISTS ALSO PLAY THESE CHARACTERS AS CHILDREN. THE OTHER ACTORS OFTEN PLAY MORE THAN ONE ROLE.
VANSH BHARDWAJ IS A MEMBER OF THE COMPANY AND HAS PERFORMED IN SEVERAL PLAYS OVER THE PAST YEARS. HE WAS MOST RECENTLY IN ABHISHEK CHAUBEY’S FILM UDTA PUNJAB, AND IS ALSO KNOWN FOR HIS PERFORMANCES IN DEEPA MEHTA’S HEAVEN ON EARTH, DILIP MEHTA’S COOKING WITH STELLA, AND ZEISHAN QUADRI'S MEERUTHIYA GANGSTERS. HE WILL SOON BE SEEN IN COMMANDO 2.
TIA BHATIA IS A CANADIAN ACTOR WHO TRAINED AT THE LEE STRASBERG INSTITUTE OF THEATRE AND FILM IN NEW YORK. AFTER HER FIRST AUDITION SHE LANDED THE ROLE OF ZARAH IN DR. CABBIE, DIRECTED BY JEAN-FRANÇOIS POULIOT. SHE ASSISTED ON DEEPA MEHTA’S FILM, BEEBA BOYS.
JANKI BISHT GRADUATED WITH A MASTERS IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION FROM MAHARISHI DAYANAND UNIVERSITY IN INDIA AND SUBSEQUENTLY WORKED IN CLIENT MANAGEMENT FOR RBS BUSINESS SERVICES FOR TWO YEARS. SHE THEN JOINED CONCENTRIX (AMAZON PROCESS) WHERE SHE CURRENTLY WORKS. ANATOMY OF VIOLENCE IS HER FIRST TIME BEFORE THE CAMERA.
SEEMA BISWAS IS A RENOWNED FILM AND THEATRE ACTRESS; SHE HAS ACTED IN MORE THAN 50 FILMS IN INDIA AND INTERNATIONALLY. SHE WON THE 1996 NATIONAL FILM AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS FOR SHEKHAR KAPUR’S BANDIT QUEEN. SHE WON THE 2000 SANGEET NATAK AKADEMI AWARD, AND SHE WON THE 2006 BEST ACTRESS GENIE AWARD FOR HER ROLE AS SHAKUNTALA IN DEEPA MEHTA'S WATER. SHE WAS THE PIVOTAL MARY IN DEEPA MEHTA’S MIDNIGHT’S CHILDREN, BASED ON THE ACCLAIMED NOVEL BY SALMAN RUSHDIE.
MUKTI DAS IS A THEATRE ACTOR WHO TRAINED AT THE NATIONAL SCHOOL OF DRAMA IN NEW DELHI. HIS PERFORMANCES HAVE TAKEN HIM ACROSS THE GLOBE AND HE HAS WORKED WITH DIRECTORS SUCH AS JEFFREY SICHEL, DEVID JINDER, ANNIE RUTH, ANURADHA KAPOOR, AND NEELAM MANSINGH CHOWDHRY. HE WILL SOON BE APPEARING IN MOHINDER PRATAP SINGH’S ONE LAST TIME AND ABHINAU ADITYA’S ARTHPURUSH. HE IS CURRENTLY PART OF THE FACULTY AT AN ACTOR PREPARES IN MUMBAI.
SUMAN JHA IS A THEATRE ACTOR WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF INDIAN THEATRE AT PANJAB UNIVERSITY. HE HAS PERFORMED IN PLAYS SUCH AS DEKHI TUMAREE KASHI DIRECTED BY PROFESSOR K.S. RAJENDRAN, AND HE HAS WORKED WITH NEELAM MANSINGH CHOWDHRY, PROFESSOR MAHENDRA KUMAR, AND RAJENDAR UPADHYAY. CURRENTLY HE IS WORKING ON JYOTI DOGRA’S TOYE, WHICH IS BASED ON JERZY GROTOWSKI’S APPROACH TO ACTING.
RAMANJIT KAUR HAS APPEARED IN SAMIR MEHANOVICH’S FILM ANANTH AND DEEPA MEHTA’S FILMS HEAVEN ON EARTH AND FIRE. SHE HAS WON MANY AWARDS, INCLUDING THE SANGEET NATAK AKADEMI BISMILLAH KHAN YUVE PURASKAR AWARD AND THE CHARLES WALLACE AWARD. IN 2002 SHE FOUNDED THE CREATIVE ARTS, A COMPANY OFFERING THEATRE TRAINING TO CHILDREN AND ADULTS. SHE IS THE LEAD ACTRESS IN NEELAM CHOWDHRY'S THE COMPANY.
DEBINA RAKSHIT IS A THEATRE ACTOR WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF INDIAN THEATRE AT PANJAB UNIVERSITY AND HAS WORKED WITH MANY PROMINENT THEATRE DIRECTORS. SHE HAS CONDUCTED THEATRE WORKSHOPS FOR ACTING STUDENTS AND ALSO TEACHES THEATRE FOR CHILDREN.
MAHESH SAINI TRAINED AT THE NATIONAL SCHOOL OF DRAMA IN NEW DELHI. HE HAS WORKED ON OVER 25 PLAYS WITH NUMEROUS DIRECTORS. HE IS ONE OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF BRIJ NAT MANDLI, A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION FOR THEATRE AND CULTURE BASED IN FARIDABAD. HE IS PRESENTLY WORKING WITH VARIOUS THEATRE GROUPS ACROSS INDIA.
JAGJEET SANDHU IS A THEATRE ACTOR WORKING FOR THE COMPANY. HE HAS APPEARED IN NUMEROUS FILMS INCLUDING ANURAG KASHYAP’S THE LAST ACT AND TARN MANN’S RUPINDER GANDHI THE GANGSTER. HE IS MOST KNOWN FOR HIS ROLE AS SPEED IN QISSA PANJAB DIRECTED BY JATINDER MAUHAR, FOR WHICH HE WON THE BEST DEBUT ACTOR AWARD IN POLLYWOOD.
ZORAWAR SHUKLA IS A FILMMAKER, MUSICIAN, AND ACTOR BASED IN NEW DELHI. AS A FILMMAKER, HE HAS WORKED ON FEATURE FILMS AND DOCUMENTARIES. HE IS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF INDIA’S FIRST REGGAE MUSIC COLLECTIVE, REGGAE RAJAHS. HE IS CURRENTLY PART OF AN INTENSIVE METHOD ACTING PROGRAM AT THE LEE STRASBERG INSTITUTE OF THEATRE AND FILM IN NEW YORK.
DAVINDER SINGH IS A THEATRE ACTOR WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF INDIAN THEATRE AT PANJAB UNIVERSITY, WHERE HE WAS A GOLD MEDALIST FROM 2012 TO 2014. HE HAS WORKED WITH MANY THEATRE DIRECTORS AND HAS CONDUCTED TRAINING WORKSHOPS FOR STUDENTS. PRESENTLY HE WORKS AS A DRAMA FACILITATOR AT VARIOUS SCHOOLS.
THE TEAM
FILM DIRECTOR/ CONCEPT
DEEPA MEHTA
PRODUCER & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
DAVID C HAMILTON
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
NEELAM MANSINGH CHOWDHRY
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
TRUDIE STYLER
CELINE RATTRAY
WORKSHOP DIRECTORS
NEELAM MANSINGH CHOWDHRY
DEEPA MEHTA
ACTORS/ SCREENPLAY
VANSH BHARDWAJ AS VIKAS
TIA BHATIA
JANKI BISHT AS JANKI
SEEMA BISWAS
MUKTI DAS AS SURESH
SUMAN JHA AS REEPU
RAMANJIT KAUR
DEBINA RAKSHIT
MAHESH SAINI AS CHANDU
JAGJEET SANDHU AS BITTU
ZORAWAR SHUKLA
DAVINDER SINGH AS DINESH
ADDITIONAL CAST
AMARJIT
ROBIN NAKAI
MADHU BHULLAR
CHAKRESH KUMAR
MANJU YADAV
JYOTI SANIA
SAVITA NEGI
SHWETA NEGI
CINEMATOGRAPHER
MAITHILI VENKATARAMAN
EDITOR
DARBY MACINNIS
POST PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR
SALAR PASHTOONYAR
POST SOUND
TATTERSALL SOUND & PICTURE
POST PRODUCTION PICTURE
THE ROLLING PICTURE COMPANY
ADDITIONAL CINEMATOGRAPHY
DILIP MEHTA
ADDITIONAL CAMERA
GARINDER SIDHU
SAURABH MONGA
SHOEB SIDDIQUI
ASSISTANT EDITORS
MAITHILI VENKATARAMAN
SALAR PASHTOONYAR
CATERING
KALYANI JOJO
COSTUMES
THE COMPANY
SPECIAL THANKS
PUSHI CHOWDHRY
DILIP MEHTA
NILA MEHTA
RICK HANNIGAN
JANE TATTERSALL
LAXMAN BISHT
BASANTI BISHT
KABIR CHOWDHRY
FEDERICA FOGLIA
RAM SINGH
AND RANIKA DESIGNS
A HAMILTON MEHTA PRODUCTION
PRODUCED WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF TELEFILM CANADA
Hamilton Mehta Productions
Phone: +1 (416) 516-0899
Email: info@hamiltonmehta.com
anatomyofviolenceoffical@gmail.com
301 - 460 College St. Toronto, Ontario, Canada