A film screening organised by a platform of, for and by cinephiles will showcase a documentary that traces the lives of four young Muslim women boxers
A still from Burqa Boxers
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Of the many things you expect under a burqa, a boxer is the farthest guess. Burqa Boxers is a film by Alka Raghuram that traces the lives of three young Kolkata-based girls from conservative Muslim backgrounds, struggling to make it as professional boxers under the tutelage of one of India's first female coaches, Razia Shabnam. The stigma and struggles aren't difficult to fathom. It's much like knowing it rains during the monsoons. But knowing isn't the same as wading through streets flooded with arsenic water teeming with diseases, to make it to work on time every day. In other words, knowing isn't the same as experiencing it.
Priti Chandriani
And that's probably why you should head over for the film's screening tonight. Founded by filmmakers Veena Bakshi, Lydia Mathews and Priti Chandriani this year, Cinema Collective is a platform for cinephiles. "As filmmakers, we get the opportunity to watch many films at festivals and private screenings. We wanted to make these films and documentaries available to the common man as well," says Bakshi, who received the National Award for her feature film, The Coffin Maker (2013).
"We wanted to screen films we would watch, organise workshops we would attend and do things we'd ourselves enjoy as well. And of course, create a knowledge base while having fun," she adds.
Veena Bakshi
Speaking of the film Bakshi says, "The girls are at different stages of championships. It's about their foray into boxing, the challenges they face and the future they dream of. They are all from conservative families, so their journeys are really enthralling. It's about their aspirations and struggles. And, what I personally love about the film was how Alka has managed to put it together with an unbiased narrative and without any judgment. It's a delightful film and a must-watch."
ON Tonight, 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm
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