Bandit Queen

Customer Reviews:

A tale of India.......2007-06-14

Interesting story, but a bit self serving.

Shocking Portrait of Modern India.......2006-12-15

This is a disturbing film about modern day India. Looking at the cruelty and poor living conditions, compounded by a terrible caste system one wonders how India is better off today than under the old British Raj! The British soldiers always sympathized with the ill treatment of Hindi women, and often they took arbitrary revenge on Hindi males when they observed this kind of behavior. Other charming practices that the Raj curbed was Sutee. This was where a widow would burn herself before her entire family after her husband had died.

This film, while no doubt over done with excessive violence and rape, paints a frightening portrait of modern India. Looking at this work one wonders how India is expected to become such an economic powerhouse in this century. No doubt 1/3 of the country will live off the other 2/3 who will continue to live more or less as shown here. The fate of women as shown here in Hindi India is not much different than what we find in most of Islam today. Is it surprising that so many women in 3rd world countries want to escape to the West and America. After seeing this film I can understand their plight. These regions will never emerge from their backwardness until they decide to treat women with equal rights. Until then, much of what we see here shall continue to be the norm in these parts of the world. A shocking, excessively violent film, but worth looking at none the less. the DVD could use some bio info. about Poolan Devi. Her story is no doubt somewhat distorted as told here.

Rape Scenes and Sensitivity.......2005-09-12

Perhaps the rape scenes were emphasized to increase exposure of something that is ignored. Too quickly the subject is dismissed as something benign. Hollywood and Bollywood tend to numb the effects of the suffering of southeast Asian women. Too much sensitivity gives reason as to why it exists today.

To successfully convey this type of suffering is bold.

It is very probable that the scenes were emphasized as a fantasy exploited by a male director's privilege. But, the thought is ambiguous. So much else can come out of the story.

Some view that this movie creates the wrong impression of India to those learning about its history. Shall we claim that it never happend? To erase it is to validate what has happend and what is continuing unless there is more exposure. This movie does not try to document the entire history of India but an important part. This should be apparent to the student.

Nonetheless, to learn of Phoolan Devi's life only enough to create a review like this one is a useless scholarly exercise. I recommend that you do not watch it for this reason. Otherwise, watch every scene. Learn about how it represents a very large part of India's history. Make certain that there is not a reason left to create a movie like this again. Make it part of a movement. For their sake, don't turn it off.

bandit queen.......2005-05-31

Too much focus on the sexual aspects of this remarkable story tells me it was directed by a man. I think this film would have addressed the issue of systematic abuses of women on a much higher level if it had been written and directed by women.I am not saying that men do not make good directors, but, when the story is about women overcoming terrable things done to them, it is best told by women.

It might have been better as a documentary.......2005-03-14

This is a disturbing and unwatchable film. I would say this is an exploitation movie that undermines the message of woman empowerment. Yes, the real-life Phoolan Devi was repeatedly terrorized not only by men, but her community as a whole. She went through so many unspeakable things that perseverance is almost an understatement.

However, as a viewer, why are we subjected to multiple rape scenes? While the scenes obviously show the degradation experienced by Phoolan Devi, they also sexually exploit the actress that stars in the film. It almost seemed like the director took a sadistic pleasure in making the scenes as realistic as possible (I'm sure that wasn't the intention, but the conclusion could easily be drawn).

The movie as a whole does nothing but cause infuriation. Both the Indian communities and their men are seen in a very negative light--a perception difficult to change if this film is someone's first exposure to the Indian culture. It might have been better if a documentary was made showcasing Phoolan Devi's life and struggles. Until there is one, I suggest that you pass on this film.

Average customer rating:

A tale of India
Shocking Portrait of Modern India
Rape Scenes and Sensitivity
bandit queen
It might have been better as a documentary

Bandit Queen
Starring: Seema Biswas , Aditya Srivastava , Agesh Markam , Ajai Rohilla , and Anirudh Agarwal
Director: Shekhar Kapur
Manufacturer: Geneon [Pioneer]
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

ASIN: B00003G4J3
Release Date: 2000-01-11

Description

Outcast. Outlaw. Legend. A woman's life erupts in a feverish spree of vengeful violence, shocking the world - and bringing a government to its knees - in this tale of modern day savagery run wild. Born of low caste, 11-year-old Phoolan is sold into marriage with a man 20 years her senior in exchange for a cow and a rusted bicycle. Challenging her fate, she escapes and falls in with a pack of ruthless bandits. But the political structure of the male-dominated gang comes with its own set of brutal humiliations, and Phoolan must struggle to rise above a culture determined to bring her down, in a bloody coup that electrified a nation - and transformed one woman's world forever.

Customer Reviews:

A tale of India.......2007-06-14

Interesting story, but a bit self serving.

Shocking Portrait of Modern India.......2006-12-15

Rape Scenes and Sensitivity.......2005-09-12

bandit queen.......2005-05-31

It might have been better as a documentary.......2005-03-14

Bandit Queen [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.0 Import - Australia ]

Average customer rating:

Bandit Queen [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.0 Import - Australia ]
Director: Shekhar Kapur
Manufacturer: Siren Visual
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000EIXXJI

Product Description

Australia released, PAL/Region 0 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada. LANGUAGES: English (Dolby Digital 2.0), ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (1.66:1), SYNOPSIS: Bandit Queen, based on the true story of legendary female warrior Phoolan Devi, is a confrontational epic that paints a far different picture of India from other arthouse productions. Devi (Seema Biswas) is married at age 11, abandoned by her husband when she resists his advances, and turned into a social outcast who, at one point, is gang-raped by the upper-caste men of one village. She later gets her revenge by organizing a massacre that leaves 20 villagers dead. Devi ultimately leads a band of latter-day Robin Hoods on bold raids against landowners in Central India during the late '70s and early '80s, often taking their spoils and redistributing them to poor tenant farmers. By the time she is arrested in 1983, Devi has become a folk hero, especially to the women who live in rural India's brutally patriarchal society. A full-fledged commercial production, handsomely produced and directed by talented Indian filmmaker Shekhar Kapur (who emerged from the country's vaunted 'Bollywood' system), Bandit Queen painfully exposes a controversial aspect of Indian culture, while providing a triumphant portrait of female empowerment.

Average customer rating:

Wounded: The Bandit Queen
Starring: Wounded
Manufacturer: Funimation
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Description

Wounded - The Bandit Queen, is a chilling representation of the life and time of a real Bandit, in Post Independence India. Filmed amidst adverse conditions in the dacoit infested and infamous Chambal Valley, under severe threat to the lives of the Director and the unit, the film echoes the situations that can create criminals and also reform them.

Based on the life of Seema Parihar, this self enacted film of the female protagonist makes a mark in the history of cinema with real Characters, real Locations and real Life as it is, in the dreaded terrains of Central India.

Winner of the Critics Award in Leicester Expo Film Festival 2005, UK, the films traces the journey of a village girl, from the circumstances of her abduction at 13 to her transformation into a Bandit, whose very name, spelled terror in the minds of the people, for over a decade.

Banned by the Censors in India, the film could only be released of a lengthy battle between the Producers d the Government, due to its scathing comment on the law and its intricacies, the lawlessness, corruption and sorry state of the down trodden in India.

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