Provoked (film)

''Provoked'' is a 2006 British biographical drama film, directed by Jag Mundhra. It stars Aishwarya Rai, Naveen Andrews, Miranda Richardson, Robbie Coltrane, Nandita Das and Steve McFadden. The film is loosely based on the true story of Kiranjit Ahluwalia, who unintentionally killed her abusive husband.

Cinematography for the film was handled by Madhu Ambat. The film's score and soundtrack was composed by A. R. Rahman, and the theme song for the film, ''Alive'', was composed by Rahman and sung by Karen David, who has a small cameo in the film. Shot in London, the film was released theatrically in April 2007.

Plot

Kiranjit Ahluwalia (Aishwarya Rai), a Punjabi woman, marries Deepak Ahluwalia (Naveen Andrews) in an arranged marriage and moves to Southall, UK with him to be closer to his family. Initially he seems caring and affectionate towards her but soon enough the true colors of her husband begin to show as Deepak gradually reveals a darker, threatening, and even sociopathic side of himself. After enduring ten years of abuse and having two children with him, Kiranjit, unable to bear the brutality and repeated rapes at the hands of her husband any longer, sets fire to his feet while he is sleeping, unintentionally killing him. Charged with murder, her case comes to the notice of a group of South Asian social workers running an under funded organization called the Southall Black Sisters.

Kiranjit is sentenced to life imprisonment with possibility of parole in 12 years. She befriends her cellmate, a White woman named Veronica Scott ( Miranda Richardson), who teaches her English. Veronica is also friends with several girls in the prison and stands up for Kiranjit against the local prison bully, Doreen (Lorraine Bruce). Veronica enlists her brother, Edward Foster (Robbie Coltrane), a highly respected Queen's Counsel, to aide in Kiranjit's appeal. Edward, in turn, realizes Kiranjit's importance to his sister and the importance of her case. His sister's request has additional meaning given that Veronica would not let him help her with her own appeal due to their on off relationship since childhood.

Before Kiranjit's appeal hearing the Southall Black Sisters bring her plight to the attention of the media by organizing rallies to gather public support for her freedom. She is ultimately freed by the judicial system in a landmark case called ''R v Ahluwalia'', redefining ''provocation'' in cases of battered women in the UK.

Cast

*Aishwarya Rai as Kiranjeet Ahluwalia
* Miranda Richardson as Veronica Scott
*Robbie Coltrane as Edward Foster
*Naveen Andrews as Deepak Ahluwalia
*Ray Panthaki as Ravi
*Nandita Das as Radha Dalal
*Raji James as Anil
*Karen David as Asha
* Claire Louise Amias as Young Nurse
*Lorraine Bruce as Doreen
*Maxine Finch as Lula
*Nicholas Irons as PC O'Connell
*Wendy Albiston as Guard Miller
*Judith Jacob as Jackie
*Guy Siner as Prosecutor
*Rebecca Pidgeon as Miriam Taylor, Defence lawyer
* Steve McFadden as DS Ron Meyers
* Shaheen Khan as Jamila
* Rahul Nath as Doctor

Release

This film was screened in the Marché du Film Cannes Film Market during the Cannes Film Festival in April 2006. Aishwarya Rai was present with director Jag Mundhra to promote the film through press conferences and parties. In June, the film opened the 2006 International Indian Film Academy Film Festival in Dubai. The screening was attended by Bollywood personalities including Amitabh Bachchan and Shabana Azmi, as well as by international media.

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes the film has a rating of 29 percent. View London gave a two stars out of five said "Provoked is just about worth seeing for its important subject matter and for Aishwarya Rai's performance but it's a real struggle at times, due to the astonishingly inept direction." BBC
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