Provoked: A True Story (2006)

It's the true story of a Punjabi woman named Kiranjit Ahluwalia who leaves India to marry a London-based guy, only to be badly abused. She ends up in prison for murdering her abusive husband.

Director:

Jag Mundhra

Writers:

Carl Austin, Rahila Gupta

Stars:

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Miranda Richardson, Naveen Andrews

Cast

Credited cast:
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan	...	Kiranjit Ahluwalia (as Aishwarya Rai)
Miranda Richardson	...	Veronica Scott
Naveen Andrews	...	Deepak Ahluwalia
Ray Panthaki	...	Ravi
Nandita Das	...	Radha Dalal
Robbie Coltrane	...	Lord Edward Foster
Raji James	...	Solicitor Anil Gupta
Leena Dhingra	...	Sheela Ahluwalia
Claire Louise Amias	...	Young Nurse
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Wendy Albiston	...	Guard Miller
John Alford	...	Chris Jones - Legal Aid Solicitor
Vonda Barnes	...	Prisoner
Peter Benedict	...	Dr. Manning
Freya Berry	...	Dr. Emma Stillman
Lorraine Bruce	...	Doreen

Storyline

Provoked is the true story of Kiranjit Ahluwalia, a Punjabi woman who moved to London after her marriage with Deepak Ahluwalia. Her husband seemed caring at first but then began to beat her up. He started drinking a lot and sleeping around with other women. he also subjected her to spousal rape. After ten years and having two children with him, out of fear, she sets him on fire while he is sleeping, two hours after another scene of domestic violence. He succumbs to the injuries ans she is sentenced to prison for life for premeditated murder. However the Southall Black Sisters, an NGO which fights against domestic violence helps her get justice. And after spending 3 1/2 years in jail, she is set free and reunited with her two children.

---

Plot Keywords:

women's rights | prison | murder | domestic violence | england | 

---

Taglines:

Based on a shocking true story

---

Genres:

Biography | Crime | Drama

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

UK India

Language:

English Punjabi

Release Date:

6 April 2007 (UK)

Also Known As:

Provoked

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$30,000, 13 May 2007

Gross USA:

$761,740

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,135,419

Company Credits

Production Co:

Raj Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The title refers to the defence in English criminal law of "provocation". This provides that a person who intentionally kills as a result of provocation will be convicted of manslaughter and not murder. However, the law's interpretation of what constitutes provocation has been very narrow, requiring a "sudden and temporary loss of self-control". If there is a time delay between the provocation and the victim's response, the law will tend to deny the defence to the woman who has been provoked. This was the central legal issue in Ahluwalia's case.

---

Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Shrek the Third/Once/Even Money/The Wendell Baker Story/Provkoed (2007)

---

Soundtracks

Teri Rab Ne Banayee Jodi
from film Suhaag (1979)
Music by Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar (as Laxmikant) and Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma (as Pyarelal)
Courtesy of Sharma Productions

User Reviews

Hidden

Hidden, this is the story of control, power and abuse of a woman, like so many women in Asian marriages which has been rife from the late 60's to the 80's. Poorly acted on a low budget. The point is all too clear. This should never happen and yet I have witnessed it myself.