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Deep Dive: Purdah (2018)

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Purdah
Purdah is an independent documentary directed by Jeremy Guy, focusing on the lives of Kaikasha Mirza and her sisters, Saba and Heena, in Mumbai, India. The film begins in 2011, showcasing Kaikasha's aspiration to play cricket while navigating societal and familial pressures. With her father's recent permission to remove her burka, she aims to join the Mumbai Senior Women's Cricket Team, but faces the threat of an arranged marriage if she fails to succeed in her sport. The film employs a cinéma vérité style, capturing the realities of the Mirza family as they confront poverty and societal expectations. Each sister has her own ambitions but struggles against the backdrop of their community's judgment. Purdah presents a nuanced view of women's lives in India, culminating in an unexpected outcome for the family.

Why Watch

  • •Meet Kaikasha Mirza, a Muslim woman pursuing cricket.
  • •See the impact of societal pressure on women's dreams.
  • •Find out how the Mirza sisters navigate their ambitions.

Did You Know

•Purdah premiered at the Cinequest Film Festival in March 2018.
•The documentary was filmed over a three-year period, starting in 2011.
•Purdah was rated 4 out of 5 by critic Marie Asner in 2019.
•The film won the Grand Jury's Special Mention Award at the 2019 Big Syn International Film Festival London.

Perfect For

Women's rights in sportsIndian family dynamicsDocumentary film enthusiasts