Hard-hitting documentary The Midwife’s Confession reveals why killing baby girls was rampant in 1990s Bihar and why, though far reduced, the practice refuses to die. Amitabh Parashar, 56, whose project spanned nearly 30 years, has midwives confessing on camera to female infanticide. He maps their change of heart – how killers turned protectors. Excerpts from a conversation with Avijit Ghosh
How did you decide on a documentary on female infanticide?
I was in Bihar’s Purnia, where my parents live, in the summer of 1995. I remember a piece of news that a father had strangled his 10-month-old baby in nearby Katihar town, only because he worried about expenses on her upbringing and dowry. Deeply impacted, I needed to know more. One thing led to another.
How did you get midwives to speak on camera about killing dozens of infant girls?
I was in Bihar’s Purnia, where my parents live, in the summer of 1995. I remember a piece of news that a father had strangled his 10-month-old baby in nearby Katihar town, only because he worried about expenses on her upbringing and dowry. Deeply impacted, I needed to know more. One thing led to another.
How did you get midwives to speak on camera about killing dozens of infant girls?