Kinshuk Surjan’s documentary Marching in the Dark follows rural Indian widows in dire financial straits whose bereavement compounds their social plight, which they confront together. The film is set in Maharashtra, the Indian state with the highest rate of farmer suicides, where more than 400,000 farmers have killed themselves over the past 20 years, beset by mounting debts and low market prices for crops.
A crisis behind tranquil vistas
Out in rural India, a crisis casts a dark cloud over the seemingly tranquil vistas of wheat fields and soy farms. Shot in Maharashtra, the documentary sensitively captures another tragedy that lingers after death: left behind by their dead husbands, generations of grieving widows struggle to find their way in a society still burdened by patriarchal values.
Sanjivani, a woman in her 30s, is one such case. Eight years after her husband killed himself, she has taken over some of the farming responsibilities, along with other odd jobs, to provide for her two children. The camera rarely finds her at rest; Sanjivani not only works in the fields but also performs domestic labour for her extended family – cooking, cleaning and doing laundry.
Resilience and collective support
Her resilience is stunning to witness, but even more impressive is the emotional support provided by a tight-knit network of other widows. Together, the women gather for counselling sessions where they can freely discuss their emotional, physical and financial issues.
One widow, for example, laments her former status as a child bride; another talks defiantly of her decision to remarry, still a taboo act in this conservative village. Though each has their baggage, the women all share the pain and anger of being rendered invisible by their widowhood. On certain celebration days, they are not even allowed to go out, for fear of inflicting bad luck on others.
A path towards independence
Sanjivani’s transformation over the course of the film, however, inspires hope. As she continues her education and works at a local pharmacy, Sanjivani’s steps towards independence show that, with the support of the collective, life can – and must – go on for the marginalised and forgotten. Marching in the Dark is on True Story from 28 August.
