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Meryl Streep backs rape documentary 'India's Daughter' for an Oscar nod

Directed by Leslie Udwin the film reportedly banned across India was released in New York on Wednesday night

Updated 16 Oct, 2015

Following its release this year, the controversial BBC documentary India's Daughter centered on the horrific Delhi-bus rape case, is being backed by Hollywood leading actor Meryl Streep for an Academy Award, reported The Telegraph.

Directed by Leslie Udwin, the film reportedly banned across India was released in New York on Wednesday night.

Based on the rape case of 23-year-old Jyoti Singh, which stirred everyone across the globe and led to violent protests, the film presents accounts of the victim's family and friends, the perpetrators, human right activists as well as lawyers who handled the case.

When Streep introduced the documentary before its US theatrical release, however, she stressed on the importance of an Oscar for the film: "I'm on the campaign now to get her nominated for best documentary," said Streep about Udwin's work.

The hour long documentary delves deeper into the case by speaking with the perpetrators, one of whom said he felt no remorse. Indian authorities allegedly accused the the filmmaker for violating privacy by visiting the perpetrator in confinement as permission was not granted, which sparked the ban.

The film's ban in India also caused many to speak up against the censorship of such issues as many were shocked to see no remorse from abuser's side as well as the lawyers who defended his case.

Many were flabbergasted after watching India's Daughter: "When I first saw [the film] I couldn't speak afterwards," Streep said.

The sole witness of Delhi bus gang-rape also called the BBC documentary 'fake' earlier in March.

Comments

Khan Oct 16, 2015 01:28pm

There are more rapes that are committed in U.K , U.S.A and European countries...how come no one make a documentary on them? Why they only have to target Asian, Middle Eastern or African countries to create stereotypes!

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Akram Oct 16, 2015 01:59pm

Having seen the documentary it should definitely be a contender.

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Harmony-1 Oct 16, 2015 02:11pm

That was a good documentary to bring awareness!

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AsR Oct 16, 2015 02:48pm

Please bring more such documentaries to highlight the plight of women, lower castes, poor......of our region. There is no shame in highlighting such issues, real shame is the happening of such atrocities.

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Kavita Raj Oct 16, 2015 02:55pm

That is NOT Jyoti's mother. the woman in the photo with Leslie Udwin is the mother of 2 of the main culprits, Ram Singh & Mukesh Singh.

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Satt Oct 16, 2015 02:59pm

The woman in the picture is not victim girl Jyoti's Mother she is mother of the rapist Mukesh Singh..the picture seems to like Ms. Filmmaker sharing the pain of the rapist family and consoling the rapist family and this picture and misinformation shows why this film was banned in India.Jyotis Mother is strong and educated woman and even after she lost her daughter in brutal way she never looked weak.

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Siddhartha Shastri Oct 16, 2015 03:39pm

I saw it and circulated it to family and friends, a few days before the URL became inoperative. The documentary is an eye opener, but also shows the redeeming aspects of the Indian society. I do not support a ban on the documentary that the Indian government imposed. At the same time I also understand the reasons for it. There are quite a few who would see some justification in the comments made by the murderers and their lawyers.

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N Oct 16, 2015 04:33pm

The sole witness of Delhi bus gang-rape also called the BBC documentary 'fake' earlier in March That explains alot...

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Indian woman Oct 16, 2015 05:18pm

The documentary was definitely an eye opener as far as the lack of remorse shown by the accused and the justification given by the lawyers are given.That apart it had its share of inaccuracies.And the sympathetic way in which the culprits family is shown is totally unacceptable .But I can't still justify the ban ,because even if the truth is horrifying ,for how long will you hide it.Sooner or later it has to come out.And the truth here is the failure of our patriarchal society to bring up men as humans,instead making them savages.

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dabangg Oct 16, 2015 06:32pm

@Khan I am Indian and do no take this documentary personally. People especially in Asia can not handle ugly truths. There are shows in the US about these topics daily on cable TV but people don't get offended.

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suren sukhtankar Oct 16, 2015 06:44pm

Ban must be lifted. Facts cannot be suppressed.

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arshy Oct 16, 2015 08:17pm

@Khan because in the western countries the gang rapes do not go unpunished

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kashmira Oct 16, 2015 08:29pm

Extremists are there everywhere. Couple of years ago, an Indian man was pushed to the track by a black woman at NY subway and he died. She claimed in court that there was no reason, just she enjoyed doing it. Dozen Sikhs were killed by an extremist and recently 9 blacks were killed. Wonder how many such documentary which portray US in negative light get nominated or even enjoy any audience in USA.

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shamshad samoo Oct 16, 2015 09:42pm

allass

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Saira khan durrani Oct 16, 2015 10:49pm

Did anyone return awards when jyoti was raped?

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Khanra Oct 17, 2015 12:56am

@Satt Your attempts to justify India banning this are wrong. In fact, the film maker is being responsible and actually is showing both sides of the story (which I know, you are not used to if you are a consumer of Indian media). If she is banned from telling both sides of the story, then its no wonder why there is so much injustice and hyper nationalism in India - you simply are unable to hear both sides of the story.

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Khanra Oct 17, 2015 12:58am

@kashmira Again, you must know nothing of the USA. These crimes shook the entire country and was in the news for days and days. And they are rare occurrences. Compare that to India where such rapes do make the news, but not terribly prominently except in all but the most horrific cases. And your attitude perfectly sums up what I've already stated about Indian (and south asians in general): instead of recognizing your faults, you try to point to other peoples faults instead. A mere distraction.

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kuttathi Oct 17, 2015 01:54am

I watched the documentary and a chill went through my spine when I heard Mukesh's words.His mother and wife are in denial which is understandable.Jyothis parents are very brave and clear about their views.Hats off to them.But the sole witness is missing that is a very important fault in the making of the documentary which itself make it non neutral. Also it happens in so many countries and only in India we protest like this. Giving importance to this level and giving this name to the documentary suggest that India's daughters are all rape victims and India's sons are all rapists. Which is not the way it should have been.Then more than the awareness,it becomes a propaganda.

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Satyam vada Oct 17, 2015 02:40am

The problem I have with this documentary is that one gets an idea at the end of it that culture or some other factor external to rapist are responsible for the heinous act. I feel this is as lame as miniskirt excuse. This is made from just one angle that is the leftist patriarchy alone is responsible for everything. No other factors explored, like rapist psychology, which is in west thought to be the main factor. That is why the belief that once a rapist rapist forever. The rapist in his interview must have said so many things but the documentary chooses those statements that again highlight society as problem not his selective interpretation of his surroundings. India shouldn't have banned but should have insisted on giving it or prosecutor a chance to tell the other side of the story. I am sure she interviewed prosecutor and many others but may not be supporting her own theories.

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JP Oct 17, 2015 09:34am

@Khanra You certainly don't understand statistics, as well as US. True, a rape typically does not get coverage in India. But neither does it in any country including US. And US has far more rapes than India *even when you adjust for differences in reporting rates*. When some high-school football players gang raped a girl and took pictures, almost the entire town tried to get behind the rapists and said it was all the girl's fault. These are world-wide problems, not India specific.

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