Aaikya (the one)

The film is an experimental documentary combining prose, text, performance and interviews to narrate the story of domestic violence in India today.

Detailed Synopsis of the film:

Domestic Violence can be described as when one adult in a relationship misuses power to control another. It is the establishment of control and fear in a relationship through violence and other forms of abuse. The violence may involve physical abuse, sexual assault and threats. Sometimes it’s subtle, like making someone feel worthless, not letting them have any money, or not allowing them to leave the home. Social isolation and emotional abuse can have long-lasting effects. Domestic Violence isn't just hitting, or fighting, or an occasional argument. It's an abuse of power. The abuser tortures and controls the victim by calculated threats, intimidation, and physical violence. Although both men and women can be abused, in most cases, the victims are women. Children in homes where there is domestic violence are also abused or neglected. Although the woman is usually the primary target, violence is sometimes directed toward children, and sometimes toward family members and friends.

Many women in India are the victims of domestic abuse. Domestic violence is a CRIME. A Lot of women do not report the abuse because of family and social pressures. Upper class and educated women are abused and cannot report the abuse as they are emotionally tortured and cannot show evidences of the torture. If they react conflicts occur and violence happens. Emotional abuse is hard to quantify and hence women suffer the violence silently.

The film is thus an attempt to bring forward the attitudes towards domestic violence by women themselves. Interviews with women reporting abuse and talking about domestic violence, feminism and being the women in India is juxtaposed with factual text about woman’s status in India. The whole documentary is connected with poetry performance.