A quiet night in London, Tuesday, May 19, 1989, was suddenly broken by the sound of screams of hysteria, fear and heartbreaking.A male descendant of Punjab, Deepak Ahluwalla, was found burned almost the entire body. Police on duty at that time, James O'Connell, immediately rushed to sent him to the hospital. While his wife, Kiranjit Ahluwalla, also was also on the scene in a state of shock and shaken, with two children, Ranjeev and Sundeep, taken to police headquarters for questioning.
Kiran was accused of burning her own husband. The lawyer who represent her, Miriam Taylor, could not do much to help her from punishment, despite knowing Kiran was a victim of abuse of her husband for 10 years. Lately, because the wound was very severe, Deepak also died, so that prosecutors charge her for planned murder.
The first difficulty of the lawyer was substandard communication, since English of Kiran was not good enough. In addition, she also tied the culture brought from India, that the problem of the household was a shameful disgrace that no other people deserved to know. That was why, Kiran refused to speak in court. But witnesses who filed it against her because they lied. Mother-in-law who entrusted to take care of her two sons, said it was she who had been arrogant towards her husband.Then she lied never seen violence done by Deepak to Kiran. Besides that the police, James O'Connell told by the prosecution had to lie by saying after the tragedy Kiran had disappeared. Only a doctor who treated the woman who said she was the victim of abuse as she ever checked the wounds which said by her had suffered because of fall.
Kiran was decided guilty by the court. She also began to enter her new life and violent women in prison. But luckily, Kiran was in the same room with Veronicawho was also imprisoned for murdering her husband.Instantly she was sympathetic to her because Kiran is often haunted by nightmares about her treatment so far.
To Veronica, Kiran told verething what had never expressed to others. Men who previously unknown, betrothed to her and eventually married her, Deepak, did not show symptoms early in their marriage was weird.When moving into a new house, Deepak started acting possessive.When you felt jealous, he did not hesitate of hitting Kiran. In fact, he himself used to sleep with another woman. In addition, spending money Kiran was circumscribed so that is very minimal. In fact, when drunk, Deepak also often forced to serve him, raped her. This went on for ten years. When containing a second child, Kiran almost miscarried because pushed to fall from a ladder.
That night, the anger which buried for 10 years was unbearable. When Deepak was in bed, she walked over, carrying petrol and candles. She poured gasoline into her husband's body. Startled, her husband woke up and jumped. Consequently, the candles held by Kiran felt and the fire grabbed her husband's body which stain by gasoline.
Kiran and Veronica finally became friends. Veronica helped her to improve her English. They often located in the library to read and learn, because Kiran said she wanted to study the law, but thi wish was not allowed by her husband. Forbade the wives of their culture against the wishes of the husband.
The case of Kiran also drew the attention of Radha Dalal, an activist who handle the victims of wife of domestic violence. Together with some friends who are also of Indian descent, she was trying to help Kiran.When Kiran had missed his two sons who are not allowed to visit her by her mother in-law, Radha connected them with false court letter. Radha also tried so Kiran got the court again. Problem was, they did not find lawyers who want to open the case and worked voluntarily. This difficulty heard by Veronica. She then phoned her brother who became a lawyer to help Kiran.
In collaboration with Veronica’s brother, Radha Dalal and his friends found a way to invoke a retrial for the case of Kiran. In addition, they are also active in mobilizing public support by opening up this issue in the media as well as making pamphlets. Radha persuaded Kiran to talk directly to the public. With the provision of English that has improved, Kiran wrote his feelings over the years, and Radha read it in the middle of the show support for Kiran.
Finally, their struggle was not in vain. The court granted the request of a retrial for Kiran. After 3 years 4 months detained, September 1992, Kiran declared free by the courts, and could be reunited with her two children. She was known as a defender of women's rights and was awarded the British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Produksi : Motion Picture Partners Internasional, British Media Fund International
Director : Jag Mundhra
Producer : Sunanda Murali Manohar
Music : A.R. Rahman
Story : Biografi Kiranjit Ahluwalla oleh Rahita Gupta & Kiranjit Ahluwalla
Cast : Aishwarya Rai, Miranda Richardson, Naveen Andrews, Rebecca Pidgeon, Nandita Das
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