Provoked: A True Story (2007)

Very disappointing...

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Where to start with this .... ? Well the script is poor, the characters one-dimensional, the music is dreadful, and the directing and acting simply abysmal. In fact, possibly the worst acting I've ever seen in a movie, and I've seen a lot of movies.I get the feeling the makers of this film were on a crusade, and let pursuance of that goal completely overshadow the actual film-making process.So bad is the script and acting that I found myself unable to sympathize at all with the 'victim' of abuse, who comes across as arrogant, snobbish and immature. Hence any sympathy for the cause of battered women has been tainted.At best it might be called 'cheesy' and there is a hint of Bollywood about it, but frankly to entrust an important story to this bunch of amateurs was a huge mistake. I suggest you don't waste your time on this film.

This ought to silence the critics! She gave you awe-inspiring performances in: Chokher Bali, Guru, Raincoat, Kandukondain Kandukondain, Devdas, Umrao Jaan, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam just to mention a few. But if you still had your doubts about Aishwarya Rai's versatility as an actress then go watch her bring down the house in the thought provoking weep-fest known as Provoked. Add another feather to the woman's hat, she truly is a powerhouse performer finally coming into her own. Please ignore all the naysayers who have been detracting about her accent in the film, her character learnt English from a British woman, how else do you expect her to speak? I mean, come on people!In a nutshell (most people who went to see this already knew the story) Provoked is the journey of an emotionally, psychologically and physically battered woman from the depths of despair to the glory and grace of emancipation. Rai plays Kiranjit Ahluwalia, the virginal Punjabi mail-order-bride brought to London to wed Deepak Ahluwalia(played intensely well by the up-to-par Naveen Andrews). She is quick to discover that her fears have been confirmed when her initiation into abuse begins on her wedding night. We discover (albeit in flashback) that Kiranjit was skeptical about marrying this man she neither knew nor loved but was coerced by a band of family and friends to tie the knot which she reluctantly did. It isn't long until Deepak begins cheating on her, insulting her, beating her, raping her and you just think of anything remotely and grotesquely inhumane and I'm sure Deepak Ahluwalia does it to his wife. Truly despicable!The film itself begins with that very headlining scene I'm sure everybody shuddered to even conceive of when they first heard about the Kiranjit saga. "Asian wife sets husband ablaze while he sleeps." The camera quivers as it leads a pair of hands bearing a bucket and a lit candle in either hand walking towards an isolated room in a dimly lit house. We do not see anything of Kiranjit until she does the deed and Deepak begins to howl in horror, running Helter-Skelter eventually ending up on the front lawn where a neighbour runs out to his aid. This was the beginning of the end. Kiranjit, in a state of shock then walks over to a neighbouring stoop, in a daze sits there cuddling her two sons as she waits for the police to arrive. Provoked is very psychological, when we first meet Kiranjit, she is a woman of very little words, so the audience has to do the extra work of reading meaning into her gestures, expressions and angst. Her face implores the camera, beckoning, daring even for you put yourself in her shoes. Personally, I started crying five minutes into Provoked, and didn't stop until the very last words were spoken by Kiranjit at the end of the film. It is such a movie. Nobody should have to go through such hell.That said, I know that the film-maker's perspective is very controversial. The case itself was very controversial. There are several nuances in the film, several things that are hinted at but not directly attacked or addressed. It definitely is pointing the finger but I'm not going to take sides. Which is why I've told many people who've asked me how the film was, that it's not for everyone. I can see how Punjabi people would be offended by many elements in the film, many aspects of it. I can see why a film like this wouldn't be #1 at the box-office. It's bawdy, it's brilliant, it's gritty, it's raw, it's realistic and most importantly it DOES NOT glamorize the story it is telling.A series of catastrophic events(stemming from corrupt police officials, lazy barristers, evil mother-in-law and shady witnesses just to mention a few) eventually land Kiranjit in jail and it is there, in this new kind of hell that she truly is liberated. Rai plays Kiranjit to the pulp delicately enough as not to batter her. In the beginning, she barely spoke a word of English, so much so that in the flashback scenes whenever her husband spoke to her in English, she would always revert to speaking Punjabi in response. But in jail, she meets Veronica Scott(Played by the spectacular Miranda Richardson), her cell mate who becomes one of the best-friends and sort of a guardian angel who helps her find herself and achieve so much as an independent woman. Nandita Das (plays Radha Dalal) a fireball twenty-something leader of the Black sisters radicals hellbent springing Kiranjit from jail. Robbie Coltrane (Harry Potter's Hagrid) turns in a great performance as Kiranjit second barrister, Lord Edward Foster. Steve Mcfadden, Nicholas Irons and Raji James among others round out the stellar supporting cast. So many familiar faces! LOL.Provoked is rated "R" in its American theatrical release (for strong language, nudity, strong violence and thematic elements). I rate Provoked an A+

They say that a film on a social issue ought to be more hard-hitting. They say this film should have been more inspiring, packed with more dialogues, and intense sequences. They say the screenplay of Provoked is a let down. Well said.Agreed, Provoked has a few shortcomings here and there, but you walk out of the hall with one character leaving a lasting impression in your mind - Kiran, played by Ash. This is undoubtedly the best performance of the beautiful Aishwarya Rai in her career so far. The direction is also brilliant - with storyline moving at a gripping pace, and an awesome mix of hard and light sequences. Miranda Richardson who plays Kiran's cell mate is also awesome.Don't expect a movie that'll start a revolution, or light a spark. Go and watch it for Kiran, i mean Ash.

I saw Provoked at a packed screening at the Tongues on Fire Film Festival in Mid-March. I must say I was pleasantly surprised how good both Ms. Rai and the film were. This may in no small way be due to the Director Jag Mundhra who should be pleased with the finished film.Watching the film it kinda struck me that its the kind of film that seems to have gone out of fashion. An intelligent entertaining (that might be the incorrect word in view of the subject matter) issue film that doesn't patronise its audience. This is easily Aishwarya Rai best Western/English Language film to date and could mark the start of an interesting phase in her career. Cast, to my mind against type, she plays Kiranjit Ahluwalia a battered Housewife who after years of Physical, Mental & Sexual abuse kills her husband by setting fire to him while he sleeps. Kiranjit would later be jailed for life for murder and then successfully appeal the decision and in doing so change English Criminal Law.I must say that Aishwarya really did show there's more to her than her looks. If you've seen her other English Languauge films this is a complete step up performance wise. Especially, when you ask yourself who would you get to play an Indian Battered wife, I'm sure like me you wouldn't have cast Ms. Rai in a Million years, based on seeing "Mistress of Spices" & "Bride and Prejudice" respectively.Aishwarya gives a really good performance, she managing to convey the fact that she (Kiranjit) is supposed to be a good wife & mother so if her husband abuses her if must be her fault. But Ms. Rai is really at her best when she has killed her husband and is in something of a daze with the whole enormity of the situation. She really manages to have you believing this is how the real Kiranjit acted. An important subject handled intelligently, I can't recommend this film highly enough.