Veerangana- The Story Of Brave And Strong Woman Safeguarding Other Vulnerable Women

Guwahati: Veerangana is an Assamese documentary film directed and produced by Kishore Kalita and written by Utpal Dutta. The film has received recognition both at the national level as well as the international level.

It has been screened at various national and international film festivals and was awarded the Best Documentary at the Cochin International Short Film Awards, 2021 held in Kochi. It was also screened at the 52nd edition of the IFFI held in Goa this year where it was selected for the Indian Panorama section in the Non-feature film category.

The film is basically about the first female commando force of the Assam police 'Veerangana' which was launched back in 2012. Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, the current Director General of Police, Assam, was its mastermind and was the then AGP (Training and Armed Police) at the time of its formation. It was established to tackle the rising crimes against women in the state.

In order to deal with any crime efficiently, these women received intense training in motorbike training, martial arts, and handling lethal and non-lethal weapons.

Veerangana literally means a brave female who can fight for her own rights. Kishore Kalita, while addressing a press conference at the 52nd International Film Festival of India highlighted the significance of women not only protecting themselves but protecting others as well.

Kalita is an advocate by profession and is quite passionate about film-making. He says, "Nowadays, we talk about women rising in tandem with men in every field, but when the night comes, women are afraid to go out alone due to the fear of eve-teasers and harassers. The fact that women can protect women, is what I wanted to show through this documentary."

The film depicts the functioning of the 'Veeranganas' and how they tackle the crimes prevailing in our society. The film has been dedicated to the tremendous bravery and confidence displayed by these female warriors and it is a tribute to them.

"The concept of Veerangana is such that if a woman comes out at night and sees the Veeranganas, the brave ladies in uniform patrolling the streets, they will feel secure and safe," said Kalita.

The documentary also sheds light on the other side of these brave women and shows us what they like to do in their free time. 

Also read: Sonitpur Police Destroy 1,000 Kg Of Cannabis At Tezpur Medical College

Also watch: