The project originated from the nearly fifteen-year-old “Right-to-Pi” campaign by Kor0 India, under the guidance of Shilpi Gulati and Supriya Jan. Initially designed to highlight critical issues such as sanitation and access to safe toilets, the initiative gradually evolved into a deeper exploration of personal narratives when participants were given smartphones and encouraged to capture photographs from their own perspectives.
Women working as sanitation staff, health workers, and homemakers began documenting everyday life, turning kitchens, rooftops, open fields, and neighbourhood spaces into their film sets. These were the very places where they spent most of their lives, now reframed as sites of storytelling and expression.
To learn the craft of filmmaking, the group assembled every Saturday at an office in Chembur. For many, including a participant named Vaishali, the experience was transformative. She and others often waited for family members to leave home before filming their scenes in privacy. The moment their husbands received invitations to the film’s premiere marked a significant emotional milestone, symbolising recognition and achievement within their households.
The film portrays the women not only through their struggles but also through moments of joy and liberation. It captures them playing kabaddi, riding motorcycles, and working out in gyms. One participant, Rehana Sheikh, who was initially hesitant to appear on camera, is seen confidently dancing to the song “Aaj Ki Raat” inside her kitchen, reflecting newfound freedom and self-expression.
The project, completed without a formal script, stands as a vivid documentation of the untold stories of the “Mast Mahila Mandali.” Its grand premiere at Regal Cinema on April 28 was marked by emotional moments, as the women’s expressions reflected pride, resilience, and empowerment. The event underscored a powerful message: every woman, regardless of circumstance, possesses both the right and the ability to tell her own story.
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