Customer Reviews

Provoked

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Synopsis: The '07 Eros release `Provoked' is based on a contemporary, real life account dealing about a Punjabi woman (Aishwarya Rai) setting fire to her abusive husband (Naveen Andrews) after suffering ten years of domestic violence at his hands. Her story of abuse goes unheard in the British court of law and she is sentenced to life imprisonment on the charge of first degree murder. This film chronicles her struggle to have her story heard and regain her freedom so she may be reunited with her two children.

The film is a bit and uneven at times but it definitely has its moments. Aishwarya Rai wins the audience over with more than just her amazing eyes and understated beauty. She has proven herself to be quite an accomplished actress. Naveen Andrews is also stellar in the role of her abusive husband. I'm used to seeing him play the good guy so this performance was quite a surprise to me.

`Provoked' is not a great movie, but it is an important one. The storyline deals with an important issue and all involved should be complimented for bringing it to the screen. It's probably not something that won't stand up well to repeat viewings but it's certainly worth of at least one.

My Rating: -3 1/2- Stars.

This film seemed very promising at the outset. Although I generally am suspicious of productions based on true stories I was aware of this case from the BBC News and decided to give it a try.

The notion of a film based on true life experiences from within the Indian culture is still rather strange given the hostility of the Indian sub-continent communities to Western interpretations of their customs and traditions. However, it is a sign of the vibrancy of Asian cinema which is holding up those traditions to the light of modern and post-modern views of the world.

The beginning of the movie is very promising where we follow the perpetrator of the attack up the stairs and into the bedroom where oil is doused on the sleeping man. As circumstances unfold we are introduced into the world of the wife as a mere chattel of a husband who treats her as he pleases. For all of the pomp and festivities of the Asian wedding what we discover is a medieval division of labour in a household which degenerates into abuse and humiliation with in-laws turning a blind eye because it is the custom to do so.

The recent incidences of honour killings in the UK as well as the barbaric treatment of the woman who was subjected to multiple rape in Pakistan due to some offence committed by her brother suggests that these experiences still occur, but behind closed doors and silent communities throughout the world.

As the film develops with the wife being imprisoned in the alien world of a woman's prisonwhere she meets antagonism and racialism apparently based upon the ignorance of her way of life is in some ways enlightening. Whilst she becomes the focus of attention of a women's support group organised by more modern Asian women, she is befriended by her cell-mate who, unbeknowns to the rest of us, has a brother who is a high powered lawyer.

Ultimately right wins out and a slight crack appears in the cultural barbarity which many Asian women are confronting each and every day. What I found to be a great let down was the sort of happilly ever after type ending which oddly reflects a scene in the Tall Guy where everyone bands together in support including the prison bully. Very Disneyesque in a goody two shoes sort of way. This really was a major letdown for me in a drama which has significant cultura implications.

This film reminded me very much of movies which came from China in the early years once restrictions were eased. Whereas in those films, difficult social and political situations were addressed in a sensitive way which got the point across, Provoked seemed to miss the opportunity.

Well shot, well acted with a reasonable storyline, I would still recommend this movie. Good but not great but one that should be watched by as many men as possible. Some of the attitudes exposed herein can still be found, particularly among industrial workers, in many western countries. There are lessons there for us all.

Set in Britain in the late 1980s, a young bride from India with the hopes of a bright future, struggles with her duties as a traditional Indian wife while enduring daily abuse, neglect, torment and dishonor from her alcoholic husband. An empowering story of rebirth, as we see the heroine, rise from the 'ashes' of her burning home and to be liberated as a free woman from being a battered woman. The storyline is compelling, as we see flashbacks as the story unfolds. We are drawn in as her friendship evolves with her close friends in prison, while her pleas are being fought for in the courtroom.

This is a refreshing departure from the mellodramatic musical Bollywood movies that causes us to reflect on the lives of women, from all walks of life and cultures, who struggle daily from the torment of abusive spouses.

This is a must see movie. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS MOVIE.

I generally despise this genre of movies. Liftime TV , evil men. women good, men bad kind of crappolla movies is something I avoid. Maybe that was the reason I never got to see this movie all this time. BUT, this movie was different. It was non patronizing, non political good story telling.

Aishwaria Rai was brilliant. She carried the movie so well and then Miranda Richardson lifted the movie even higher until Robbie Coltrane came and put the cherry on top.

The focus was not so much on the horror of abuse she had to go through, although it was communicated and left it to our imagination. It was more on her liberation at the prison that was endearing. But the initiation at the prison ...right from the entry to the prison door to her removing her jewelry and her pleading to the stern constable to not force her to strip was heart wrenching. That was brilliant movie making there.

One of Aishwariya's finest performance. I am glad I did not allow my prejudices from NOT seeing this fantastic movie.

Rent it/Buy it/Borrow it and watch this important and very good flick.

5 stars from me!

Based on a true story, "Provoked" tells the story of Kiranjit Ahluwalia who suffered abuse at the hands of her husband for over 10 years. One might initially sigh at another film on this subject matter. Lord knows enough TV movies have been done, but none have been done better than this. How much abuse can a person take before they reach the point where they snap? Before they reach the point where they feel that their life is now on the line?

Aishwarya Rai turns in her best acting performance as well as her most daring one as the abused wife, Kiranjit. Aishwarya Rai tackles a role very different from her Bollywood films. I applaud her willingness to act in a film on such a powerful issue as domestic violence; especially one based on a true story. I'm sure she wanted to help bring this to light.

I often state that you can tell how good an actor/actress is when they can mesmerize you without words. Aishwarya Rai does this beautifully. We can feel her pain, her sadness, and her loneliness with a mere look at her face and her eyes which harbor all the pain that Kiranjit has felt for 10 long years.

The movie itself doesn't pull its punches. Kiranjit is a woman who barely speaks English. She is the youngest of nine children who is married off to a man she's never met. What starts out as a dream come true, quickly turns into a nightmare. The abuse from her husband, Deepak, is physical, emotional and sexual. He implores a dominance over Kiranjit that makes us wonder how she ever summoned up the courage to take action. Kiranjit is a small woman whose meekness and submissiveness is like an invitation to Deepak to completely dominate her. The few times she becomes angry at Deepak for his indiscretions, she finds herself being brutally beaten and even threatened.

One night, Kiranjit feels she must do something to save herself. She sets her husband on fire, causing extensive damage from which he eventually dies. Kiranjit, who doesn't feel compelled to defend herself with her own story, is sentenced to life in prison for murder. There, she meets "Ronnie," wonderfully played by Miranda Richardson who quickly takes Kiranjit under her wing. Ironically enough, we find that Kiranjit and Ronnie have something in common: both are in prison for killing their husbands.

One might think that the movie quickly turns into a typical women's prison film. While it has certain typical characteristics, you would be wrong. Rather than seeing her confinement as destroying her life, Kiranjit finds it liberating. For the first time in 10 years, she doesn't need to worry about her husband abusing her any longer. She finds a certain freedom. And while she quickly finds herself the target of a prison bully, Ronnie is quick to stand up for her. The scene is so much more powerful, because we get the feeling that this is the first time in her entire life that someone else has stepped in to take care of Kiranjit. She finds a circle of friends.

Throughout the course of the movie, a small women's movement in England decide to help Kiranjit and get her a new trial. They stand up for abused women everywhere, and Kiranjit's case is their best medium yet for bringing domestic violence out in the open.

The end may be predictable and even stereotypical of so many of these types of films, that I doubt anyone will be surprised. And while I found the ending to be sub-par at best, I felt that the power in the story was in seeing Kiranjit taking care of herself for the first time. She learns to lean on her friends and share her pain and trauma endured over 10 years time.

Movies like this that are done well, are certainly worth seeing and "Provoked" is definitely one of them.

This is a very moving movie starring Aishwarya Rai as a woman who is abused in her marriage. It is a dramatic movie, not the usual Bollywood type movie that contains dancing and music. Aishwayra Rai is magnificent in the lead role, and shows what a versatile actress she is. It is a great movie, and very well done. Highly recommended.

Set in Britain in the late 1980s, a young bride from India with the hopes of a bright future, struggles with her duties as a traditional Indian wife while enduring daily abuse, neglect, torment and dishonor from her alcoholic husband. An empowering story of rebirth, as we see the heroine, rise from the 'ashes' of her burning home and to be liberated as a free woman from being a battered woman. The storyline is compelling, as we see flashbacks as the story unfolds. We are drawn in as her friendship evolves with her close friends in prison, while her pleas are being fought for in the courtroom.

This is a refreshing departure from the mellodramatic musical Bollywood movies that causes us to reflect on the lives of women, from all walks of life and cultures, who struggle daily from the torment of abusive spouses.

This is a must see movie. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS MOVIE.

I first saw this movie while I was watching some late night TV and was so moved by this true story that I just had to have it.....a definite must see!!! (but have to warn you...some scenes a very graphic)

Film is based on the true events in Great Britain in 1989. A young Punjabi wife with almost no fluency in English language, leaves India and moves to London to join her husband. Like most Indian marriages, this is an arranged marriage and bride knows almost nothing about her husband. They have not even seen each other before the wedding ceremony. Her beauty has got her the marriage and seeming prosperity since she and her new husband live in London not in some impoverished city in India. But behind closed doors is repressed woman, imprisoned inside her own home, often beaten and raped by her troubled alcholic husband. Without any resources, family or knowledge where to reach out for help, this young woman resorts to unspeakable - she sets her husband on fire inside their own home in the middle of the night while he is asleep. Although I would not call young Kirinjit a hero and her three and a half year jail sentence a fair one for taking someone else's life in such a violent way, the story is significant from the legal point of view. Kirinjit's lawyers cite three grounds for her re-trial and her case sets precedent in the way battered women in England are tried for their crimes. Film also addresses important issue of how uneducated, isolated immigrant women often go for a long periods of time before getting any sort of help for the abuse both physical and emotional they endure from their closest family members. This is an important story about the reality of the life inside the traditional immigrant families where women are supressed and virtually imprisoned inside their homes, since they have no language skills, education or resources that can help get out of damaging relationships and salvage not only the women but often their children as well.

This is a reasonably well done movie, but if you ever saw the movie "The Burning Bed" with Farah Fawcett, this is almost identical with Indian actors and actresses. Nothing wrong with copying I guess, but it has been done before. This version is no better or worse than the original.