A trailer has arrived for Indian writer-director Leena Yadav’s “Parched.” The award-winning drama made its World Premiere at TIFF last year.
“Parched” centers on three women living in rural North West India — Rani, a widow (Tannishtha Chatterjee), her rambunctious BFF Lajjo (Radhika Apte), and Bijli, an exotic dancer. The trio discuss their thoughts and feelings about men, sex, and their identities, and how their lives are affected by the oppressive mores of their conservative, traditional village.
Rani is supposed to find a teenage bride for her fifteen-year-old-son, but the women have reservations about child brides and how they are treated. The trailer shows some prevailing attitudes about gender in their village: we hear advice such as, “Girls who read make bad wives” and, “Learn to please your husband.” The spot shows a child bride crying before the ceremony, and cutting her hair in protest.
“The biggest challenge we faced was to find financing for this film,” Yadav told Women and Hollywood. “Finding persons who believed that money was worth spending on a film that showed harsh realities, a film that did not boast any renowned stars, a film that has women as protagonists — it was no easy task.” “Parched,” she promised, “touches a raw nerve, and it can ignite a dialogue that the world desperately needs to have.”
Yadav’s previous credits include 2010’s “Teen Patti” and 2005’s “Shabd.”
“Parched” opens in theaters in LA, NY, and San Jose June 17. Check out the trailer below to discover what the rebellious women resolve — and to hear some hilarious banter about cellphone vibrations.
