With the imposed lockdown, cases of domestic violence have seen a surge. The day stay-at-home orders were issued by the Indian government over two months ago, the National Commission for Women (NCW) received more than double the number of complaints it did before.
It later went on to register a number 257, up from 116, merely 10 days after. Bringing attention to the rising cases of domestic violence during the lockdown, actor, model and former Miss India Ruhii Singh has collaborated with filmmaker Kristy De Cunha on a two-and-a-half-minute feature, That Neighbour's Wife. The film traces the footsteps of a distressed woman who manages to call a trusted person and convey the signal for help. Singh tells us more.
Excerpts:
Tell us about the collaboration with filmmaker Kristy De Cunha.
Kristy and I have a common friend. When she called me and told me the concept, I immediately said yes because domestic violence is a horrendous act that many women are facing, especially during the lockdown. A lot of people are stuck in their homes. We all need to talk about it.
Tell us more about the movie.
It is a short film that highlights the rise of domestic violence during the lockdown, in which we have also shown a universal signal for help. If someone is facing violence at home, they can signal a friend or trusted well-wisher on a video call, or in person, asking for help. That’s the idea behind the short film, and I really hope that it helps people and creates more awareness.
Given the lockdown, how did the whole process of making the short film unfold?
I shot the film on my phone. I kept sending Kristy the videos; she guided me on what angles to use. Everything else was taken care of by the team, who all worked from home. It was quite a difficult process to actually make this entire project happen, but I am glad we did it. One small mistake meant we had to take the entire film back to the table. It was challenging, but I’m glad we did it.
How can cinema help highlight domestic violence and break the cycle of normalising it?
I think cinema is a great platform to voice your opinion. There is a taboo around talking about serious issues in our society. For example, when somebody is subjected to violence in a marriage, they are expected to not talk about it and suffer because of the "Log kya kahenge" attitude as well as a perceived need to maintain the image of a great family.
The film will definitely normalise talking about the subject more, which I feel is important in the 21st century. Nobody should be subjected to any violence nor should any kind of violence take place.
On a personal level, how do you think we can deal with the issue of domestic violence?
I feel it’s very important to talk about it and try to get some help. Talk to your loved ones, your friends, your parents, NGOs-whoever you think can support you; someone you really trust. Take the decision if you want to walk out of a marriage or a relationship.
We should not be afraid of doing that. A marriage or a relationship should be based on love and respect. We all have responsibilities, but if you are facing any kind of physical or mental abuse, please seek help and get out of that space.
Post this, what are the projects you will be working on?
I had filmed a web series with Sanjay Mishra, which is set to release soon. I am very excited about that. I have also signed a film and hopefully we should start shooting by the end of July or by early August. I also worked on a bilingual project titled Mosagallu with Kajal Aggarwal and Vishnu Manchu. That film will also, hopefully, release very soon.