With a title inspired from the horrific Delhi gang-rape of December 2012, Anshuman Pratyush’s film Nirbhaya (2021) depicts the ordeal of rape survivor Piyali (Hiya Dey) who is crushed under the justice system as she refuses to be a teenager mother after finding out she is pregnant.

The trailer for the film promises to highlight the issue of women, especially victims of sexual abuse, who have no agency to lead life on their own terms.

It begins with Piyali being assaulted and discovering on waking up from a coma that she is pregnant.

While Gaurav Chakrabarty’s advocate decides to help her get an abortion, senior advocate Ritabrata (Santilal Mukherjee) fights for the rights of the unborn child.

Meanwhile, Piyali is taken to a care home where she gets support from Sreelekha Mitra’s character while Ritabrata’s assistant (Priyanka Sarkar) chooses to join Chakrabarty in the legal battle to help Piyali lead a normal life instead of struggling with the burden of forced motherhood.

There are glimpses of a parallel narrative that shows how the Mahabharat episode of Draupadi being dishonoured is enacted in the Jatra performances for entertainment in various corners of the country and then another visual shows idols of goddesses being demolished.

The trailer makes it evident that Pratyush has taken a detour in terms of storytelling, shifting from action-packed narratives, as he is all set to make a statement on the changes that are to be undertaken to make society more secure and just for women.

Nirbhaya is slated for a theatrical release on 12 November. Watch the trailer below and let us know if you are keen to watch this film.