PUNCHES N PONYTAILS

Girlfight in India - two young women, Kirti and Jarna, dream of becoming professional boxers. But these girls don’t just box; they fight against the expectations of their families and of a conservative, patriarchal society, where fierce displays of aggression are not considered to be becoming of young females. Athletically-built Jarna dresses like a boy and fancies girls. Her family has accepted her appearance – "at least we don’t have to worry when she goes out alone on the streets." Nevertheless, they are still searching to find her a husband. Meanwhile Kirti struggles with the limitations of her body - her weight, injuries and illnesses – and wants to be as successful a boxer as her older brother. Over the course of two and a half years, the director’s camera is a confidante for both of these young fighters. In a cinema verité style, Pankaj Rishi Kumar reveals their desires and doubts, their victories and struggles, both inside and outside of the ring.

"I read a very small article on the sports page of a mainstream newspaper mentioning that a woman boxer from India had become the world champion. I was taken aback. I wondered why people were not talking about her or why there have been no films made on women boxing in India. I set out looking for answers …" Pankaj Rishi Kumar