Marathi film on woman's legal battle after son's custodial death screened at film fest

Kolkata: Mai Ghat: Crime No 103/2005 based on the story of a Kerala woman who fought and won a protracted legal battle after her son's death in police custody, is the first and only Marathi film being screened at the ongoing 25th Kolkata International Film Festival.

"In the competitions section, the Mai Ghat: Crime No 103/2005 is the only Marathi film screened at the 25th Kolkata International Film Festival. I will be happy if we win it. The result of the competition will be announced soon," said Alphonse Roy, cinematographer of the 104 minute Marathi film.

National Award-winning actress Usha Jadhav had played the role of Prabhavati Amma whose 13-year struggle for justice led to a landmark judgment. In the summer of 2018, for the first time in the history of the judiciary in India, two policemen were given death sentence. It was the result of protracted 13 year personal war by a mother whose son was branded a thief and tortured to death in their custody.

The film explores the impact of the violent act and the questions our social and personal conscience, as everyone from the perpetrators of the heinous act to the victim, their families and kin are deeply impacted.

While a CBI special court in Thiruvananthapuram found two cops guilty, the Kerala High Court gave them death sentence in 2017.

"The uniqueness of Mai Ghat: Crime No 103/2005 is that it was entirely shot on Cannon C-700 FF — a newly developed full-frame camera — making it a first in Marathi. It took 19 days to make the film," said Ananth Narayan Mahadevan, director of the film.

It might be mentioned that Mai Ghat: Crime No 103/2005 has won three awards — Best Film, Best Editing and Best Cinematography at the Singapore South Asian International Film Festival recently.