As the title of the documentary itself suggests, many already knew beforehand that the documentary would deal with domestic violence faced by women in Nepal.
Stories of HIV/AIDS inflicted are in no way novel and for many “Sindur, Pote and Red Ribbon” was just another old hat. But Shekhar Kharel’s adept presentation made everyone sit up and take notice.
Often, it is not the story that woos the audiences; it’s the whole package that leaves a lasting impression. Director Shekhar Kharel stands out in “Sindur, Pote and Red Ribbon” because he has given this documentary a realistic touch instead of following the traditional narrative pattern. There are no third person narratives in the background; in fact this non-fiction is not even scripted, making it seem more real.
What’s more, the documentary doesn’t boast of a casting coup. The actors are real life characters who explain the travail of living with HIV/AIDS.
Sindur, Pote and Red Ribbon is also high on emotional quotient.
The documentary begins with a story of Dikshya Rimal from Chitawan, who gets married at a very tender age. She never complained even when she knew her husband did drugs and was a victim of HIV/AIDS. Now a victim of the disease herself, she hasn’t stopped living life to the lees.
Director Kharel’s another real character from Hetauda is the bonus in the documentary as her life is no different than those portrayed in mainstream movies. This anonymous character’s face is blurred on the documentary to protect her privacy. She represents many of those women in Nepal who are forced into the sex trade by their own grooms.
Other characters like Kopila Bhandari, Rekha Saraf and Radha Thapa from different corners of Nepal also had their own stories and struggle to share.
Kharel has sensitively dealt with the struggles of women HIV victim, who fall prey to the deadly disease through cohabitation with their own husbands. He does not fail to mention how the state legal system has turned a blind eye to their plight.
Then there are words from the horse’s mouth that makes one see the evils that our society has fostered. Lines like “My mother-in-law told me that it’s because I go to beauty parlor that I have AIDS,” “When your own husband sends you to brothel for money, there is least you can do,” “I’ve AIDS because I’m paying for the bad deeds of my previous life,” “It was written in my fate,” and “People no more like talking to me. They’ve even stopped coming to my shop” clearly portrays the orthodox society we are still living in.
On the technical aspect, there are a few loopholes in the documentary. Lalit Shimkhada’s visual editing is not up to the mark while Dipak Basnet’s camera loses focus at many points. The background score by Sukarma is superb and compliments the whole theme.
In a nutshell, Action Aid and Shekhar Kharel’s joint effort “Sindur, Pote and Red Ribbon” is a sensitive documentary that deals with one of the most sensitive issues of Nepali society. Though the documentary digresses at many points, the effort to bring the real life characters relate their own stories must be commended.
Related story
The historical significance of Pote Bazaar
