Saved events

India Cabaret & Maid Servant (PG*)

Rewriting the Rules

,Cinema 3
Women stand infront of a protest banner marching down the street.

A double bill of documentaries by women and focussing on women’s rights and perspectives.

An early documentary by the future director of Monsoon Wedding, India Cabaret is a candid insight into the hidden world of Mumbai's cabaret dancers. 

It follows the lives of two women, Rekha and Rosy, as they navigate the challenges of working in a nightclub while facing societal judgment and personal hardships. 

Maid Servant is a touching portrayal of Lakshmi, a rural migrant who becomes a domestic worker for the affluent Sharma family. Made by the Yuganthar feminist film collective, who worked closely with existing women’s groups of the time, the film examines the socio-economic struggles, gender dynamics, and class disparities that Lakshmi faces. With a realist aesthetic, Maid Servant unmasks and humanises the quiet defiance of migrant workers while critiquing the broader political intersections of gender and class.

Tagged with: Art & design Cinema Rewriting the Rules: Pioneering Indian Cinema after 1970

India 1985 Dir Mira Nair 59 min Hindi with English subtitles Digital presentation 
India 1981Dirs Deepa Dhanraj, Abha Bhaiya, Navroze Contractor, Meera Rao 25 min Hindi with English subtitles Digital presentation

Related events

Give a year of art, music, film and theatre

They'll enjoy free entry to all exhibitions, discounts, no booking fees, priority booking, Members' events, our Members' Lounge and more (T&Cs apply)
Gift Membership

Cinema 3