In photos: First look of Katiyabaaz released

The first look of the docu-drama Katiyabaaz, which won the prestigious India Gold at MAMI 2013, has been released.

Directed by Deepti Kakar and Fahad Mustafa, Katiyabaaz looks at the problem of power shortage in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Kakar and Mustafa show different sides of the issue, following both Loha Singh, an electricity thief as he performs the criminal task of stealing electricity for hapless citizens, and the bureaucrat who heads up the electricity supply corporation, Ritu Maheshwari. Singh is obviously the Robin Hood character, but Maheshwari isn’t the villain. As Katiyabaaz shows, she’s working under some severe limitations herself and the fact that people like Singh steal electricity, doesn’t help her case.

Katiyabaaz was shot in Kanpur over a period of three years. Mustafa spoke about the unexpected incidents that ended up becoming compelling portions of the film and said , “We were not aware that there were elections around the corner, yet they became an integral part of the narrative. We got information about the transformer fires at the last moment, chanced upon fights and riots.”

The idea to make a documentary on the Kanpur’s power situation came from Mustafa, who grew up in the city. However, the story is one that applies to so many parts of the country that struggle to match the needs with the infrastructural setup.

The film was the only Indian selection played at the Tribeca film festival, New York in 2013. It also played at the 63rd Berlinale and received glowing praise from critics.

Katiyabaaz is expected to release on 22 August. You can watch the trailer here.