Ranjit at home in his village in Jharkhand in To Kill a Tiger (National Film Board of Canada)

The documentary To Kill a Tiger primarily explores the hardships that an Indian farming family faces in their fight for justice after 13-year-old Kiran (an alias) is sexually assaulted by three men.

Even though India is one of the fastest developing countries in the world, there are still tremendous social problems that plague Indian society, one of which is sexual assault and violence toward women. Unfortunately, open conversation about such topics is highly taboo, leading to many unreported cases. In a country where 90 percent of rapes are unreported, according to the film, Ranjit’s family therefore shows us what true courage looks like, fighting the case publicly so that justice may prevail. From exploring the themes of gender roles to Ranjit’s development as a crusader, this documentary is absorbing in its portrayal of this family and their revolutionary fight for justice.

It begin in 2017 in a small village in northeast India, sometime after Ranjit’s daughter was sexually assaulted. The narrative follows Ranjit as he works tirelessly to pursue the case through the legal system. However, the family’s journey is difficult: Their village community ostracizes them for not dealing with the matter internally. Ranjit is criticized for not protecting his daughter’s honor, and some of the village leaders believe that the best course of action would be to marry his daughter to one of her assaulters.

Director Nisha Pahuja explores the archaic way in which these communities perceive sexual assault, whereby the victim often suffers the consequences. As the film progresses, some villagers turn hostile against Ranjit, threatening to attack him or burn down his house if he doesn’t drop the case. Despite all these setbacks and his own shortcomings (he misses a few court dates and has a fondness for gambling and drinking), Ranjit remains steadfast in his mission. The legal proceedings serve as the narrative backbone, with a gripping third act in which Ranjit’s daughter gives her testimony to the judge.

Ranjit’s wife, Jaganti, is often featured alongside him, pushing him to be brave and speak boldly. Another central figure is the ward member, a locally elected official within the village and self-described “voice of the village.” Lastly, the filmmakers also feature a variety of women’s rights activists, such as Mahendra Kumar, who helps Ranjit navigate the legal system.

To Kill a Tiger initially began as a different film entitled Send Us Your Brother. The original version featured multiple storylines told through the lens of activist Mahendra Kumar. However, multiple years into production, Pahuja and her team had a change of heart. They chose to focus on Ranjit alone as his “story was far too dramatic to share space with the others,” according to Pahuja. This was undoubtedly a superb decision, as the two-hour documentary plays out like a gripping drama. Its dramatic elements are emphasized by the editing and the underpinning soundtrack. The editing, in particular, is used masterfully to create moments of tension and conflict between Ranjit’s family and the local community. Similarly, the naturalistic and subtle soundtrack sets the tone, almost giving us a preview of the character’s state of mind when they are deep in thought.

To Kill a Tiger is a must-see. It sheds light on an important issue that Indian society must address. Hopefully, it will encourage victims of sexual assault everywhere to speak out about their experiences and motivate men to listen, support, and defend a woman’s autonomy over her body.