Scripting her Space

Paromita Vohra8217;s A Woman8217;s Place is a documentary for woman only in as much that the subject matter draws from women, says Nandini Ramnath

A look at Paromita Vohra8217;s body of work gives a fair idea of her brand of film making: she has worked with documentary film maker Anand Patwardhan for three years. Has produced and directed Annapurna: Goddess of Food, about a women8217;s co-operative in Mumbai for TV channel TVI and a feature A Short Film About Time, is co-writer for a feature film in the making Waiting for the Mahatma, based on a novel by R K Narayan, and is writer for Reena Mohan8217;s documentary Skin Deep.

Despite its lucid, intimate style and a format that8217;s suitable for television, A Woman8217;s Place may itself struggle for space on present day Indian television, replete with mindless mediocrity and entertainment8217; based programming. As of now, the film will be circulated among universities and grassroot8217;s organisations to trigger off debates on gender, lawand social change. And, if funds flow in, the production team will set off on its next exploration, of a woman8217;s place in politics, by 2001.