In a conversation over Zoom, Pahuja shares her experience of making the documentary, the strength of the survivor and her family, and why she wants To Kill a Tiger to be shown in India. Excerpts:

How did you get to know about the survivor and her father’s fight for justice?

In 2017, I was making a film for the Centre for Health and Social Justice, a Delhi-based human rights organisation. They had started a gender sensitisation programme in Jharkhand and were working with men and boys in 30 villages. My aim was to follow their work, to look at the idea of masculinity and examine how it shapes men. The survivor’s father was part of this programme. After this incident, the local NGO, Srijan Foundation, which was working with the Centre, stepped in to support his family.

What about their fight inspired you to follow it so closely?

To Kill a Tiger follows a father’s fight for justice for his daughter

Initially, when I started filming, I didn’t know how far they would take the legal battle. Over the course of a few months, it became apparent that the family had tremendous resilience. What was extraordinary was that they were unified in their fight. There were times the pressure from the villagers was too much, but the survivor never wavered. Her father’s respect and love for her encouraged them to move forward. The trust that we built, as a crew, with this family was powerful and that comes through in the film.

At the core of the documentary is the idea of ‘male ally-ship’. Can you talk about that?

I made The World Before Her (2012) which also looks at gender justice and women’s rights. After the 2012 Delhi gang-rape, I felt we are looking at the incidents not the causes. If anything were to change, then the solution lay with (understanding) men and how they are raised. That’s the case the world over. That’s why the story of this simple farmer who fights for justice resonates strongly with audiences across the world.

The documentary also explores traditional ideas of masculinity. Why are we still stuck with our patriarchal ways?

It is all about power. When you are born and raised in privilege — be it colour, class or gender — no one wants to give it up. A just society requires sacrifice. It means that those in positions of power have to step back. Equality, for me, is the most significant fundamental right that we have to strive for.

A still from To Kill a Tiger

The survivor and her family refused to be shamed. That’s a stand that the family of the Delhi gang-rape victim too had taken. What’s the source of their conviction?

In both cases, fathers of the victims fought for justice. It’s extraordinary when a man stands up and says “my daughter didn’t do anything wrong”. The survivor’s father s a role model for men. His daughter had the courage and, most importantly, the self-confidence to know that she deserved better. That’s incredible. This sends out the message that survivors should fight, there is no shame that they should bear. Men need to become part of the fight…There is this idea that a woman’s virginity is everything and the family’s izzat is tied to it. That’s the prejudice that needs to be looked at, understood and dismantled.

What were your challenges in making the documentary?

Everything was challenging. Going into a community knowing that you are not welcome is challenging. It was sad to witness the dismantling of the community bond. When you go against the collective, something erodes. That’s something I had to navigate.

After the 2012 incident, changes were made in law.

Changing the law or recognising the fact that law needs to change is one critical part of it. But the real challenge is implementing the law. That takes time. Change is a slow and gradual process.

A still from To Kill a Tiger

What are your thoughts on the power of a good documentary?

A good documentary can change public consciousness. I got into making documentaries to create an impact against the injustice I saw around me. As humans, we respond to stories. We have the ability to be empathic. That’s what stories and documentaries do — awaken the realm of empathy.