Aparna Rajawat's journey to empowerment gets captured in the documentary 'Pink Belt'
The inspiring life story of Aparna Rajawat, India’s sixteen-time national champion in martial arts, takes centre stage in the new documentary film Pink Belt, directed by John McCrite. The film chronicles Aparna’s unwavering mission to make India a safer place for women through her non-profit organisation, Pink Belt Mission. Sparked by the tragic 2012 Delhi gang rape case, Aparna’s journey of empowering women through self-defence and legal rights training is depicted in a compelling narrative that follows her quest to break the Guinness World Record for the most women trained in a self-defence lesson.
The documentary showcases Aparna’s dedication to her cause as she travels across India, visiting various women-led initiatives and highlighting the resilience and strength of women from all walks of life. From a shoe factory run by women to a café operated by acid attack survivors, Aparna’s encounters reveal the profound impact of her mission. The film also captures the emotional moments of her journey, portraying how one individual’s commitment can spark widespread change.
Pink Belt has already garnered international attention, will be showcased at the prestigious Newburyport Documentary Film Festival 2024 in September and nominated at the 16th International Film Festival Jaipur 2024 in August. The film had a sneak preview at Palm Springs, where it received a standing ovation, with one critic praising it as “an entertaining and thoughtful documentary with a strong and compassionate woman at its heart.”
Aparna expressed her hopes for the film, stating, “I genuinely think this movie will heal, inspire, and give hope to women around the world. I wish to establish a community centre for women in India to help them with their overall strength and rights. The showcase of this film is a stepping stone, as more people would get connected with the cause globally and come forward to support our mission.”
Commenting on her collaboration with McCrite, Aparna says, "I was the International Tour Director when John came to India. I had 28 Americans on my bus including John and when we reached Delhi, I asked all tourists to take off their curtains which is not allowed in Delhi. They asked me the reason and I told them that it is a law in Delhi. I told them about the Nirbhaya Incident, they were intrigued. That also got the attention of John. He was interested to know more so we had discussed various issue. When I told my life stories and my non-profit Pink Belt Mission to McCrite he was very interested and wanted to make a documentary on all of this, which could be great for global attention and help me to provide greater assistance to harmed women."