There are Bollywood films that embrace the culture of stalking and objectifying women and normalise and glorify it. And then there are those that take this culture, right from its grassroots, and spin it on its head. Mercifully, Anaarkali of Aarah falls squarely in the latter category. Set in Ara, Bihar, it tells the story of Anaarkali, a “folk” Bhojpuri singer and dancer who chooses to fight against her sexual offenders, well-connected men in the government who enjoy the full support of the state police.
Swara Bhaskar plays Anaarkali, an effervescent folk performer who is as proud of her craft
