Oscars 2024: 'To Kill A Tiger' docu on Jharkhand gang-rape case shortlisted

Directed by Toronto-based filmmaker Nisha Pahuja, the documentary titled To Kill A Tiger explores the harrowing Jharkhand gang-rape case

To Kill A Tiger, the latest film by Indo-Canadian filmmaker Nisha Pahuja, has been shortlisted for the 2024 Oscars in the Documentary Feature Film category. The 96th Academy Awards are scheduled to take place on March 10, 2024 in Los Angeles.

The shortlist was announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Thursday. The documentary, which is set entirely in India, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2022 and won the Amplify Voices Award for Best Canadian Feature Film.

In fact, the film received a theatrical release in North America this year, a rare accomplishment for documentaries. It has been supported by a star cast of executive producers, including British Indian actor Dev Patel, Indian-American actress Mindy Kaling, and Indo-Canadian poet Rupi Kaur.

What is 'To Kill a Tiger' all about?

Nisha Pahuja's film tracks the harrowing story of a family in Jharkhand and their journey to bring the culprits in a sexual assault on a 13-year-old girl to justice.

Commenting on the film, a TIFF jury statement on the selection said, "It's not easy to film love. In Nisha Pahuja's To Kill A Tiger, a father defends his daughter, and together they change a village, a country and, maybe, the world."

In its description of the film, TIFF noted, "While aspects of this story might seem culturally specific, there is much in To Kill A Tiger that speaks more broadly to rape culture and the silencing of women. Many people in the village insist that the perpetrators' "naughty" behaviour must have been provoked by Ranjit's daughter, but she needs to be reassured that what happened wasn't her fault. When it comes to rape, shame is wielded like a blunt instrument. But the story of Ranjit and his fearless daughter, enduring so many voices clamouring for them to stand down, is one of remarkable strength and defiance."

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Pahuja, in her director's statement, said, "The film was a record of a very painful time in their lives — but it also captured the immense love and strength of an exceptional family who had nothing to be ashamed of and nothing to hide."

Oscars 2024: India's official entry 2018 out of race

Meanwhile, Malayalam film "2018: Everyone is a Hero", India's official entry in the international feature film category at the 2024 Academy Awards, is out of the Oscars race.

"2018", starring Tovino Thomas in the lead, was announced as India's official entry for the 96th Oscars in September this year. The movie narrates the story of the devastating Kerala floods in 2018.