Ananth Mahadevan: All the issues Dr Rakhmabai raised and fought for are unfortunately relevant even today

Biopics in Bollywood are the order of the day. And following suit is actor-filmmaker

Ananth Mahadevan

, who has directed one - '

Doctor Rakhmabai

' - on India’s first practicing lady doctor,

Dr Rakhmabai Raut

. Speaking about how she was also the country’s first social rebel, Ananth says, “She went to England, and against all odds, educated herself, got a doctor's degree, came back only to be ostracised in her own country. Besides being the first practicing lady doctor, the first divorce case, which was fought in the British High Court in Mumbai, was also hers.” Stating that the battles she fought and her struggles are all still relevant, he says, “All the issues she raised and fought for in British India – be it women empowerment, child abuse and girls bring exposed to literacy – are unfortunately relevant even today.”
The movie, which has been screened at around 11 international film festivals and has won several awards, is expecting a distribution in India and all over the world. “Anybody who's seen it feels that it is global cinema and needs to be exhibited all over,” says Mahadevan.

The movie features actress Tannishtha Chatterjee, who essays the role of Rakhmabai. According to him, she has all the qualities of an international star. He says, “A lot of people questioned my choice of casting a non-Maharashtrian for the role. Tannishtha is a brilliant actress and resembles Dr Rakhmabai a lot. She worked so hard on her Marathi that even the Maharashtrians who watched the movie thought that she knew the language fluently, but she has worked very hard on it. It is her voice you hear in the film and not a dubbed one.”