Based on a real life incident, Provoked is the story of a battered Punjabi housewife and mother of two in London, who is unable to bear the brutality and repeated rapes by her alcoholic husband, sets him on fire and kills him.
The gorgeous Aishwarya Rai plays the lead role in the film starring as Kiranjit Ahluwalia. Naveen Andrews plays Deepak Ahluwalia - the husband of Kiranjit, who is based in London.
For Kiranjit, getting married to Deepak seemed like a perfect recipe of life as he is based in London and the marriage will bring along with it the charm of living abroad, no worries whatsoever financially and a dream of a better future ahead - she seemed to have everything for her.
But the dream seemed to be short-lived since Kiranjit's husband turns out to be an alcoholic who took sadistic pleasure in assaulting her physically and mentally. Things don't improve even after they had two children and the situation became intolerable for her on a continued basis.
One day the limits are crossed and in a fit of anger and defense, Kiranjit is left with no option but to kill her very own husband and she sets Deepak on fire. Kiranjit finds herself behind bars and her punishment is life time imprisonment but she is instead relieved. Why? Because behind bars she finally found life...and freedom.
Kiranjit starts picking up ropes of her life and adjusts with the situation at the prison. Support comes from her cellmate, a British woman, who is financially quite well-off and has a Queen's Counsel as a brother.
On hearing Kiranjit's plight, her cellmate helps her file an appeal through her brother and soon the momentum increases when a motley group of South Asian social workers running a under founded organization called Southall Black Sisters brings in media attention by organizing rallies to gather public support for Kiranjit's freedom.
Kiranjit's voice is finally been heard and there seems to be a better tomorrow ahead. A tomorrow that would help her unite with her children and keep her head high in esteem.
A landmark case by the name of Regina v/s Ahluwalia is contested and goes through its own share of hassles and controversies. There are defendants on both sides and the going is certainly not going to be a cakewalk.
But ultimately the truth prevails and Kiranjit's is freed by the judicial system. Reunited with her children, she is in fact even given an award by the Prime Minister's wife for her crusade against domestic violence.
Also starring Nandita Das , Robbie Coltrane and Miranda Richardson, 'Provoked' has music by A R Rahman.
Produced by Sunanda Murali Manohar, Provoked is directed by Jagmohan Mundhra . The film is scheduled to release on February 23, 2007.
Movie Review : Well intended (4/10) Jagmohan Mundhra's movie 'Provoked' is based on a very pertinent subject on which only few movies have been made either in India o...
Aishwarya Rai in a courtroom drama
Aishwarya Rai to talk about marital abuse
A French actress for Govinda!
Aishwarya Rai still in `Chaos`?
