Provoked is the true story of Kiranjit Ahluwalia, a Punjabi woman who moved to London after her marriage with Deepak Ahluwalia. Her husband seemed caring at first but then began to beat her up. He started drinking a lot and sleeping around with other women. he also subjected her to spousal rape. After ten years and having two children with him, out of fear, she sets him on fire.
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Well when i bought the DVD and sat to see the movie I wasn't a bit aware of the fact that the movie is going to be so heart wrenching. The film has been superbly directed and the role of Kiranjeet Ahluwalia has been just perfectly played by Aishwarya. After reading about the story of Kiranjeet one will be able to understand how well the film has been set up. I would highly recommend the movie. Be read with your napkins as for the emotional junta this is going to be a weepy ride throughout. Nandita Das has also done justice to her role. Ironically the laws in UK are being amended for the sake of Indians and India still faces loads of such cases. All I can say about the movie is that it brought tears to my eyes and I'm not a weepy kinda person. kudos to Aishwarya and the director of the movie.
Was this a Bollywood story in English? Where does it go with the Bollywood movies? It's not Indian anymore. This story is about a woman who gets beat up by her husband, and kills him for that. She goes into prison.This should be a true story, but is not believable because of the worse acting and appearance of Aishwaria. Aish's acting is horrible! Besides that, the language spoken is English. But I could not understand some people because they were talking not clearly. Like the boss of the police. When he talks, even the subtitles don't understand what the guy is saying. And the dutch subtitles in Bollywood movies are very bad. I think they are translated by a computer or something.Every time when Aishwaria Rai is saying; "I'm sorry", the subtitles say; "I'm sad". It does not make any sense. Even the English subtitles are not correct.Okay, I cannot judge a movie by the subtitles, because in most bollywood movie the subtitles don't work proper. The way the movie is made makes women who watch the movie wonder to kill her husbands when they hit them even once.Or when a husband shouts at his wife once, he should hide all candles and matches, otherwise he gets burnt. Like all women are victims. And so what if you kill your husband? Prison life is great! You meet a lot of female friends who will help you climb up your way to get free. Because when your husband hits you, you must not run away, no, you must kill him! Come on! Who made up this crap? And why do independent women have short hair like men? The woman who wants to fight for Aish's rights, has short hair. She is not female because she does a man's job? The should have given her role to Aishwaria and vice versa. But the other woman is not a celebrity and not pretty with short hair. That fact is in her way for fame. Yes, she cannot act, but Aishwaria cannot act either. She is only pretty like the horrible actress Priyanka Chopra.In Bollywood there is one major thing; if you know the right people in your family, then you will become famous in movies. It doesn't matter if you can act or not.
This movie based on true story grips you from the very beginning and though there are enough light moments even in Jail, it just doesn't let go anytime.... By now, everyone knows the story is that of a woman stuck in an abusive marriage finds her freedom in jail after killing her husband... Every technical aspect of the movie- editing, camera, sound, music- is real class... Ash of course lives the role and each and every frame she is a delight to watch...very expressive face and eyes used wonderfully- thanks to the director too I suppose...Nandita Das doesn't act too smart., Mirinda Richardson, both the lawyers are all excellent in their roles...even side stories in prison are very well done indeed... as the summary says it all, miss it at your own risk !!!
I saw Provoked at a packed screening at the Tongues on Fire Film Festival in Mid-March. I must say I was pleasantly surprised how good both Ms. Rai and the film were. This may in no small way be due to the Director Jag Mundhra who should be pleased with the finished film.Watching the film it kinda struck me that its the kind of film that seems to have gone out of fashion. An intelligent entertaining (that might be the incorrect word in view of the subject matter) issue film that doesn't patronise its audience. This is easily Aishwarya Rai best Western/English Language film to date and could mark the start of an interesting phase in her career. Cast, to my mind against type, she plays Kiranjit Ahluwalia a battered Housewife who after years of Physical, Mental & Sexual abuse kills her husband by setting fire to him while he sleeps. Kiranjit would later be jailed for life for murder and then successfully appeal the decision and in doing so change English Criminal Law.I must say that Aishwarya really did show there's more to her than her looks. If you've seen her other English Languauge films this is a complete step up performance wise. Especially, when you ask yourself who would you get to play an Indian Battered wife, I'm sure like me you wouldn't have cast Ms. Rai in a Million years, based on seeing "Mistress of Spices" & "Bride and Prejudice" respectively.Aishwarya gives a really good performance, she managing to convey the fact that she (Kiranjit) is supposed to be a good wife & mother so if her husband abuses her if must be her fault. But Ms. Rai is really at her best when she has killed her husband and is in something of a daze with the whole enormity of the situation. She really manages to have you believing this is how the real Kiranjit acted. An important subject handled intelligently, I can't recommend this film highly enough.