This is the story of Phoolan Devi, a lower-caste woman who achieved notoriety when she fought back against sexism and India's abusive caste system. At just 11 years old, Phoolan was forcibly wed to a man who purchased her from her family (cost: a bicycle and a cow). When her new husband beats and rapes her, the traumatized Phoolan runs away. Once she steps off the narrow path that poor women must follow, however, she becomes easy prey for the upper-class and powerful Thakurs. One of their clan, enraged when Phoolan fights off his advances, arranges to have her abducted and raped by a cruel band of outlaws. When the sympathetic bandit Vikram rescues her, the two form their own gang and Phoolan sets out to revenge herself... in the process becoming a heroine to many of her people.
Reviews:
From Variety 06/06/1994, Variety Critic Derek Elley: "...Visually striking....Kapur brings out his big guns to often stunning effect..."
From Film Comment 11/01/1994, Film Comment Critic Kathleen Murphy: "...Arresting..."
From Los Angeles Times 06/30/1995, Film critic Kevin Thomas: "...BANDIT QUEEN is an astonishing, overpowering piece of rabble-rousing, consciousness-raising, epic-scale filmmaking that unquestionably breaks ground in the Indian cinema in brutal candor if not theme..."
From Chicago Sun-Times 07/14/1995, Critic and screenwriter Roger Ebert: "...The movie has been directed by Shekhar Kapur with unflinching realism, and the occasional touch of sad poetry..."
From USA Today 03/01/1996, USA Today Critic Mike Clark "...Brutal but compelling, with a pulsating lead performance by Seema Biswas..."
...more at www.eztakes.com. (Duration: 119 Minutes)
