Speaking Up

Vibha Bakshi, Honorary Doctorate and National Award-winning director and producer, speaks to Sonia Hays about her movie Son Rise and breaking the silence on gender violence across the world

From business journalism to documentaries on gender issues — how did this journey happen?

I was a business anchor and reporter on CNBC. But I very quickly realised that my heart was in stories that carried strong social messages. When my husband and I moved to New York (my husband was a Wall Street banker and I wanted to pursue film-making), I met my partner, my mentor — Maryann Deleo, an Academy Award–winning film-maker. We began making films together including HBO’s acclaimed film on global warming titled Too Hot NOT to Handle and Lifetime TV’s Terror at Home, as part of the U.S. Government’s Emmy Award–winning campaign to stop violence against women.

You have made films dealing with different aspects of gender violence across different cultures. What is the common thread that runs across them?

Gender biases and gender violence are not an India issue alone. They are not a rural versus urban issue. It is everywhere. It is a global reality. And having made films both in the United States and in India has changed me in many ways. I have realised the paramount importance of being non-judgemental as a film-maker. It is easy to sensationalise issues but very hard to sensitise people. I will always strive to make responsible films because they impact everyone. I salute all the people of Haryana who dared to break their silence on issues kept hidden in India and many parts of the world.

How did you hit on the idea of making Son-Rise?