Nisha Pahuja's 'To Kill a Tiger' nominated for Oscars under Best Documentary Feature

Delhi-born filmmaker Nisha Pahuja's documentary, 'To Kill a Tiger,' has been nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the Oscars 2024. The announcement came as a surprise to Pahuja who learned about the honor while watching the live announcement.

Pahuja expressed her shock and excitement, stating, "I was in shock. I couldn't believe it. I was over the moon. Yeah, I just couldn't believe it." The documentary follows the story of Ranjit, a farmer in Jharkhand, India, fighting for justice for his 13-year-old daughter, Kiran, after a brutal sexual assault in 2017.

"This film has work to do in the world," said Pahuja, emphasizing the importance of the film's global impact on gender justice for survivors of sexual violence. The director, known for her previous work, including the Emmy-nominated 'The World Before Her,' hopes to raise awareness about the struggles faced by survivors and challenge attitudes toward legal justice.

"To Kill a Tiger" sheds light on the challenges Kiran and her family faced within the justice system, addressing issues like prejudice and victim-shaming, which resonate with survivors worldwide. Pahuja aims to tackle toxic masculinity and patriarchal practices, especially in countries like the U.S. and the UK, where conviction rates for accused rapists remain low.

The documentary, which won Best Canadian Film at the 2022 Toronto Film Festival, also secured the Best Documentary award at the Palm Springs Film Festival. Pahuja, determined to amplify the voices of the film's subjects, plans to bring Ranjit and Kiran to the Academy Awards ceremony.

"I'll take Ranjit and his daughter. That's the reason we are where we are. It's because of them," declared Pahuja, expressing gratitude to the main subjects of her documentary. Kiran, who survived a gang rape at a young age, is now almost 20 and in a much better place.

'To Kill a Tiger' had its theatrical release in October 2023 at the Film Forum in New York before expanding to major cities. The documentary's journey to potential Oscar glory has been supported by heavyweight promoters, including executive producers Dev Patel, Mindy Kaling, Rupi Kaur, and Atul Gawande.

Other executive producers involved in the project include Andy Cohen, Anita Lee, Andrew Dragoumis, Shivani Rawat, Anita Bhatia, Niraj Bhatia, Deepa Mehta, Samarth Sahni, S. Mona Sinha of Equality Now, Mala Gaonkar of the Surgo Foundation, Priya Doraswamy, Jason Loftus, Geeta Sondhi, and Cornelia Principe, according to The Hollywood Reporter.