Under Construction - UC Films

English (subtitled), 32 min, 1996, India

Heera Deepa and Susheela work the fields, cut grass, tend cattle, and care for their families. They contribute as much as men to sustenance of their families and the economy of their villages. But their labour is rarely recognised as work. The reason is as inescapable as it is simple – they are women. And so, they never stop working even when they are sick, and never have their sickness taken care of till the work begins to suffer.

Women’s health in India continues to be seen in the restricted light of pregnancy and motherhood so that health initiatives for women focus mainly on family planning and maternal health.

Shot in Almora and Sitapur districts in Uttar Pradesh, this is a film about the attitudes that deny women their share of healthcare.

Selected Screenings:
Mumbai International Film Festival, 1998;
Chingari VideoFest at the University of Wisconsin, 1998;
Prakriti ‘98 at Pune;
Desh Pardesh 2000 at Toronto.